tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-80113042188922383852024-03-16T22:50:44.044-07:00Suko's NotebookThoughts on books, reading, and writingSukohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11893742747135555499noreply@blogger.comBlogger725125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8011304218892238385.post-67608110810175047732021-09-18T14:30:00.005-07:002021-09-18T15:03:23.558-07:00A Piece of Peace: Everyday Mindfulness You Can Use<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi44USd7phe-qI4jab8ByvHDb5w96m5I4NfpvHdru0HtPjFtTJJ9l1GWkf9SpNXi-BurPLQjy3sEHuFvUBU-rIDGrZIja773HepMIE9Xk_OxRolVkoyn6m2QtmOq64mk6tP_Vh4eAIeZ8fq/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="916" data-original-width="630" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi44USd7phe-qI4jab8ByvHDb5w96m5I4NfpvHdru0HtPjFtTJJ9l1GWkf9SpNXi-BurPLQjy3sEHuFvUBU-rIDGrZIja773HepMIE9Xk_OxRolVkoyn6m2QtmOq64mk6tP_Vh4eAIeZ8fq/w220-h320/A+Piece+of+Piece.jpg" width="220" /></a></div><p></p><p> </p><blockquote>"I have learned to prioritize myself on a daily basis. It's given me a <i>piece of peace</i>." ~<u>A Piece of Peace</u>, Sweta Vikram </blockquote><p></p><p>I will begin at the beginning, or right before the beginning. In the introduction of the new book by best-selling author <a href="https://swetavikram.com/">Sweta Srivastava Vikram</a>, <u>A Piece of Peace: Everyday Mindfulness You Can Use</u>, ideas about wellness and self-care are presented. <br /></p><p></p><blockquote>"Self-care and mindfulness are revolutionary and not optional for your healing and creativity." ~<u>A Piece of Peace</u>, Sweta Vikram </blockquote><p>And I will now cut to the chase! I found myself highlighting a lot of the text in my advance reading copy of <u>A Piece of Peace</u>. This book is full of wisdom and wonderful ideas that will contribute to health, well-being, and creativity. Countless great ideas are presented and elaborated upon in this slim
volume! My notes, and consequently the ideas in this review, may seem
to be "all over the place". <br /></p><p><u>A Piece of Peace</u> is a manual of sorts,
filled with incredible ideas and concepts that will be a a gift to those
who read it. The different sections are clearly titled, so you can skip
around a bit if you want to, and learn about or investigate ideas as you wish.
There are special tips for writers, including yoga poses that may
benefit writers and artists, Ayurveda and mindfulness tips, and tips pertaining to the pandemic, presented in a friendly and encouraging manner. In <u>A Piece of Peace</u>, the author reveals her personal story of illness
and hospitalization, and subsequent quest for a return to health. She
doesn't preach but speaks kindly from the heart, and generously shares her wisdom.
She's upbeat and encouraging. </p><p> </p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0EM9hyphenhyphencEV_dMXJXkFKI5BmrwrxJgeM9doq13mJ_2adlPEpI6Zqpp8Eha5VoAbQzLnlOhtRfQv6AVNGQ3qyu4kV-cAgkJdq_vbjfuUJARAK37GxOLNLXea3cA_W5xpWtsVEN56lXA66Ceq/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0EM9hyphenhyphencEV_dMXJXkFKI5BmrwrxJgeM9doq13mJ_2adlPEpI6Zqpp8Eha5VoAbQzLnlOhtRfQv6AVNGQ3qyu4kV-cAgkJdq_vbjfuUJARAK37GxOLNLXea3cA_W5xpWtsVEN56lXA66Ceq/w240-h320/SwetaYoga+Pose.jpeg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sweta Vikram presents her new book<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><p></p><p>Many claim that silence is golden. <u>Why I spend 12 Hours a week in Complete Silence</u> (<i>maun vrat </i>in Sanskrit) is a fascinating chapter of the book. It talks about the author's practice of staying silent for 12 hour periods, and how she finds perspective in silence. Her husband, Anudit, notices the many positive effects of this on her, and adopts this practice as well. I'm not sure that I could remain silent for that long, but the idea is certainly intriguing! <br /></p><p></p><blockquote>"In Ayurveda, body, mind, and consciousness work together in maintaining balance." ~<u>A Piece of Peace</u>, Sweta Vikram</blockquote><p></p><p>I relished so many parts of this book, including the parts about Ayurveda (science or knowledge of life), which I am particularly interested in right now. In addition to learning the proper spelling of the term, I've started to learn about the ways in which I may revitalize my health with Ayurveda. As a fan of spices, I love this quotation from the book:<br /></p><p></p><blockquote>"Ayurveda teaches us that the spice cabinet is our first access to the apothecary. It can turn our pantry into a holistic medicine cabinet." ~<u>A Piece of Peace</u>, Sweta Vikram</blockquote><p> </p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4ziUeGR24rvqemIvjU9gZIsfPHr3NdyOwLlyAgrhtqFbFP5BL5VvHZ7vv3Fa0d7W4HgwJvnLOduuojhiqGM_ObZJGnEbS3F3zZih58J4KOCVMUpT7V-wY02JGtnA54xx_FUAJPQSgZyhM/s640/Spices.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4ziUeGR24rvqemIvjU9gZIsfPHr3NdyOwLlyAgrhtqFbFP5BL5VvHZ7vv3Fa0d7W4HgwJvnLOduuojhiqGM_ObZJGnEbS3F3zZih58J4KOCVMUpT7V-wY02JGtnA54xx_FUAJPQSgZyhM/w240-h320/Spices.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'm a Spice Girl<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><p><u>A Piece of Peace</u> has already influenced me, although I feel as if I have only just begun to implement some of the ideas and approaches to health. Specifically, I try to get to sleep earlier (emphasis on the word try) each night. I wish to incorporate more Ayurveda into my life, and to be mindful about food, exercise, and meditation (of some sort). I've noticed that walking or running (without too much conversation with a partner) puts me in a more meditative, creative mode, and also brightens my mood; movement <i>is</i> medicine. I will continue to prioritize my own health and well-being, and refer to this book frequently for ideas, inspiration, and helpful reminders. </p><p>Please note that I've taken the liberty to
include quotations from my version of the book, which
may change, as I do not have the final edition. The book will be
released to the public on September 21, 2021. You can pre-order the
book from the publisher, <a href="https://www.lhpress.com/store/A-Piece-Of-Peace-p374791356">Loving Healing Press</a>, or on <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/1615995978/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1615995978&linkCode=am2&tag=suksnot-20&linkId=67e7938c6c570aff43df915749a2daa8">Amazon</a>. <a href=" https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/331558-a-piece-of-peace-everyday-mindfulness-you-can-use">Goodreads</a> is currently hosting a giveaway for <u>A Piece of Peace</u>. Enter by September 21. <br /></p><p>Special thanks to Sweta Vikram for providing me with an advance reading copy of <u>A Piece of Peace</u>. I am beyond excited about this new book, which is full of wonderful,
helpful ideas that will contribute to health and well-being. </p><p>Thanks for reading! Your comments are welcomed.<br /><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">
<style>@font-face
{font-family:"Cambria Math";
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:roman;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;}@font-face
{font-family:Calibri;
panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:swiss;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:-536859905 -1073732485 9 0 511 0;}p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
margin:0in;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
mso-default-props:yes;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}</style> </span>
<style>@font-face
{font-family:"Cambria Math";
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:roman;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;}@font-face
{font-family:Calibri;
panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:swiss;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:-536859905 -1073732485 9 0 511 0;}p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
margin:0in;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
mso-default-props:yes;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}</style></p>Sukohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11893742747135555499noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8011304218892238385.post-88537715057759400532021-05-05T00:00:00.180-07:002021-05-10T14:53:00.956-07:00Writing Out Loud: A Guest Post by Cheryl Wilder<p>My guest today is <a href="https://bornwilder.com/">Cheryl Wilder</a>, author of <u>Anything That Happens</u>, published in March of 2021. This debut poetry collection tells the story of what happens after a terrible accident that puts her friend in a coma and twenty-year-old Cheryl in jail. <br /></p><p>In this exclusive guest post, Cheryl shares a technique that helps her to write poetry, as well as tips that help her to read her poetry to others with confidence. This post may boost your own writing and speaking abilities--enjoy! <br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3pWU6MGD_8RB6CMue4o8b4M83Asz4tm4uzXqmIV-Rs29_U9HACazp3LzTsUllN5QoHBVt60fVuXSY_lEdwvK1vDQZ7aM3zcZUZZbI7PJV5pwdkcJDIn1s-u6jU0yxLE5yb0GTBEI6B-s_/s1054/CherylWilder.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1054" data-original-width="703" height="287" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3pWU6MGD_8RB6CMue4o8b4M83Asz4tm4uzXqmIV-Rs29_U9HACazp3LzTsUllN5QoHBVt60fVuXSY_lEdwvK1vDQZ7aM3zcZUZZbI7PJV5pwdkcJDIn1s-u6jU0yxLE5yb0GTBEI6B-s_/w191-h287/CherylWilder.jpg" width="191" /></a></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhckyNAm6IM_6gNuSCwifIQJRmcjm-2iqepxmU_UlV1KnBQD_K6N8rRXF6HQFMqONed9e-MgKIuPilh9xCbltV4E_ZigGABCp1wblJ19yRdjEfp-HakFs2zsA9scMVVz3GgnVnOkjmwaW9U/s2048/Anything+that+Happens.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1366" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhckyNAm6IM_6gNuSCwifIQJRmcjm-2iqepxmU_UlV1KnBQD_K6N8rRXF6HQFMqONed9e-MgKIuPilh9xCbltV4E_ZigGABCp1wblJ19yRdjEfp-HakFs2zsA9scMVVz3GgnVnOkjmwaW9U/w185-h278/Anything+that+Happens.jpg" width="185" /></a><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><b> </b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><b> <span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><span><b>Writing Out Loud: A Guest Post by Cheryl Wilder</b></span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span> <br /></b></span></div><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Writing Out Loud </span></b></span></p><p><span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="font-size: medium;">as Revision</span></span></p><p>
<span style="color: #38761d;">One piece of advice given to me over the years has been to read my work-in-progress out loud. It’s a revision tool in the writers’ toolbox. At first, I was shy to read out loud to myself. It’s one thing to construct a poem on paper: decide on stanzas, fret over line breaks, stare at commas. It’s another to hear a poem–my thoughts and emotions–outside my head. Now, reading aloud is integral to my writing process. (I even read my full collection out loud several times before submitting the final draft.) The advice to read out loud during revision is for all poets, whether they write narrative, dramatic, or lyric poems. I primarily write lyric poetry–short, subjective, personal, and song-like. The lyric form helps lighten heavy themes, allows the reader to catch a breath in the white space. Rhythm adds to the texture of the content, provides another layer of enjoyment. I want a poem to roll out of the mouth or jar the reader in the right places. To get there, I rely as much on my ear as anything else. Reading aloud helps me hear what isn’t working rhythmically. Reading out loud also helps me refine syntax. As a poet, I rely on images. Images come first, and then the structure. I work to blend imagery with syntax. Saying what I mean in a way that sounds how I want is imperative to the integrity of a poem. But, the poem also needs to make sense. When I read aloud, I walk around my office or, when the house is bustling, the master bathroom. I have paper and pencil in hand and stop to make notes as needed. It requires privacy and quiet. Why do I walk around? It could be that I’m stretching my legs after sitting at the computer. Maybe it’s more like pacing around the room. But honestly, it’s not a conscious act, so I don’t know. Once I start reading, I start moving.</span></p><p><span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="font-size: medium;">as Oration</span></span></p><p style="background: white none repeat scroll 0% 0%; margin-bottom: 21.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 21pt;"><span style="color: #38761d;">Practice and preparation are effective ways to become comfortable reading in front of others. But it’s not easy for a lot of people to get started, myself included. Spending a lot of time alone with my poems felt counter-intuitive to reading them in public to strangers. It felt like sharing my diary. To help with stage fright, I took two speech classes in college. I practiced at home alone. When there was a chance to read at an open mic, I took it. I chipped away at my fear over many years. What’s helped me the most: Reading out loud to revise. Not only does it provide practice, I know the poems backward and forward. Where they once tripped up my tongue and how they taught<span> me to express my heaviest emotions. I’ve learned, with the practice of reading aloud and crying alone in
my office, to find the right words. Words that connect me to the poem and, I
believe, the poem to readers. When I read in public now, I use emotion to
propel my oration–the tears in the rhythm and syntax. No matter how many people
are listening, it’s just me and the poem, like it’s always been.</span></span></p><p style="background: white none repeat scroll 0% 0%; margin-bottom: 21.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 21pt;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><span><span>Video link:<br />Cheryl Wilder reads </span></span></span><span style="color: #38761d;"><span><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><span><span><a href="https://youtu.be/naTwggTzDzE" target="_blank">"Xing"</a></span></span> from <u>Anything That Happens</u></span> <br /></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><span><span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span><b>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</b></span></span></span></span></span> <br /></p><p>Since poetry is often read out loud, reading it out loud during the writing process seems like a great idea. In addition to conveying the intended meaning, how does the work-in-progress <i>sound</i>? Like music, poetry is an auditory medium, so sound is quite important, especially poetry that's read later to an audience. Many of us dread speaking in front of a group (can I get a witness?), but according to Cheryl ample practice and preparation can help. <br /></p><p>While I read this collection of poems, I felt the poet's pain about the accident acutely. These heartbreaking, heartfelt poems are poignant and piercing. They explore many lasting emotions including guilt, suffering, and regret. These poems tell a difficult story and pose difficult questions. Moving and artistic, <u>Anything That Happens</u> expresses the poet's vulnerability, honesty, and bravery.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwSZopgeytLB2VuUDhFoYlTbqSUzrdKsY_yFcW4Op-xsch_AH9Bmv688bD2OWP8ZksDM80h6bdim-nQxqJ2c3Ovn31_Y17ZbysfxxDVacgfKY8R8HWW2OTTEZuJtGH9lJ3pcp4TqVihHB4/s320/Poetic+Book+Tours.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="168" data-original-width="320" height="105" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwSZopgeytLB2VuUDhFoYlTbqSUzrdKsY_yFcW4Op-xsch_AH9Bmv688bD2OWP8ZksDM80h6bdim-nQxqJ2c3Ovn31_Y17ZbysfxxDVacgfKY8R8HWW2OTTEZuJtGH9lJ3pcp4TqVihHB4/w200-h105/Poetic+Book+Tours.jpg" width="200" /></a> </div><p></p><p>Many thanks to Cheryl for this guest post, and to Kevin from <a href="https://www.press53.com/poetry-collections/anything-that-happens-by-cheryl-wilder">Press 53</a> for sending me a copy of the book. Special thanks to Serena from <a href="https://poeticbooktours.wordpress.com/" rel="nofollow"><u>Poetic Book Tours</u></a> for inviting me to participate in this tour. For more reviews of <u>Anything That Happens</u> and other features, please visit the other stops on <a href="https://poeticbooktours.wordpress.com/2021/03/27/anything-that-happens-by-cheryl-wilder/">the tour</a>. <br /></p>Thank you for reading! Your comments are welcomed, as always.
Sukohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11893742747135555499noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8011304218892238385.post-39761826955059574132021-04-28T00:00:00.118-07:002021-04-28T10:37:57.248-07:00Finding Magic: A Guest Post by Kathy Davis<p>Please extend a warm welcome to my guest today, poet <a href="https://kathydaviswrites.com/">Kathy Davis</a>, the author of <u>Passiflora</u>, a book of poems published in 2021. This eclectic debut collection features poems about children, relationships, nature, aging, loss, art, and more, that are unique, intelligent, and even a bit humorous at times. In the exclusive guest post below, Kathy Davis talks about what led to the creation of some of the poems in the book. I hope you will find it as inspiring as I did! <br /></p> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwrqGLiSEiEdEMB1ze4HFX6cF9kovmebLEOA29wDI889MJWgK4X97BXcIwMXxt-MPzwxkuymMvt2F-LV8lUEhiWYM2YGfmGtkRZTRnsVxPENRUiwodrsIExkRBxTVocVIpJWBkKWpIzFj_/s2048/KathyDavis.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1557" height="284" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwrqGLiSEiEdEMB1ze4HFX6cF9kovmebLEOA29wDI889MJWgK4X97BXcIwMXxt-MPzwxkuymMvt2F-LV8lUEhiWYM2YGfmGtkRZTRnsVxPENRUiwodrsIExkRBxTVocVIpJWBkKWpIzFj_/w215-h284/KathyDavis.jpg" width="215" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8kzdUjoExKHsHJDsf0zNYbXKseCDDZtXEjHOfSIyef88UYGHO9ZsfO3qQPR6k8EoeMt73QZ3FAQshyphenhyphenlnPDOCwUNQYseIGB-V-kpjhHNwVTiZYTfNG-i40X5zgNkoLkqpJpbcEwz6rGSQt/s640/Passiflora.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="423" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8kzdUjoExKHsHJDsf0zNYbXKseCDDZtXEjHOfSIyef88UYGHO9ZsfO3qQPR6k8EoeMt73QZ3FAQshyphenhyphenlnPDOCwUNQYseIGB-V-kpjhHNwVTiZYTfNG-i40X5zgNkoLkqpJpbcEwz6rGSQt/w199-h280/Passiflora.jpg" width="199" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Finding Magic: A Guest Post by Kathy Davis</b></span></p><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><p><span style="color: #e06666;">What do you do when something’s niggling at you? Something you saw or heard that stays in your head for days, weeks or even years as if begging to be dealt with, explored? For me, I’ve learned the only way it will stop nagging is if I help it find a home in a poem.</span></p><p><span style="color: #e06666;"> Once when I was checking out a book in the small rural library near my home, a woman came in and asked if the library would like a pony. I could tell by the librarian’s face that she, like me, was stunned into imagining what they would do with a pony. Let it wander the stacks? Use it to entertain children during story hour? Turn it out to graze the surrounding lawn? That momentary flight of fancy was enchanting, but the spell was broken when another woman brought the subject inside. It was a life-size stuffed toy Shetland pony—a much more manageable donation which found a home in the children’s section. The librarian later shared other remarkable happenings, such as the flock of guinea hens that would occasionally wander over to loudly police the grounds, and the phone calls the front desk received asking them to keep an eye out for a loose cow that might pop by. She described all of this with sincere delight, the same sense of wonder that stayed with me and turned into the poem “The Shetland.”</span></p><p><span style="color: #e06666;"> Volunteering at my sons’ elementary school, I met a student’s mother who was recovering from chemotherapy treatments for pancreatic cancer. An artist, she was too weak to paint like she used to but had discovered she could mix her dryer lint with glue and sculpt it into human figures and other forms. She described how the lint colors varied based on the mix of clothes dried and the various creative possibilities she saw with each shade. When her neighbors learned about her new passion, they began to collect their own dryer lint and leave it in her mailbox, ensuring she always had a steady supply of material. I carried her story in my head for years, remembering again and again the resilience of her creative spirit, her community’s support, until a piece of dryer lint sculpture found its way into my poem “Eve: After the Fall.” </span></p><p><span style="color: #e06666;">When my husband and I lived in Chicago during the early 80s, Lake Michigan always froze over in late winter, becoming a massive plain of ice and snow. So, I was shocked when I returned in February a few years ago and saw it as blue and ice-free as during the warmer months. In fact, the lake had not frozen over for many years—a startling reminder of the damage done by climate change. Then, on the walk back to where I was staying, I saw a group of teenage boys in the distance playing chicken on the railroad tracks as a train was approaching. I felt helpless to do anything but watch and hope they’d be OK. The anxiety produced by the change in the lake and the boys’ risky behavior stood out as a sharp contrast with my experience of Chicago as a young newlywed, when I had not yet had much experience with grief and loss and everything good seemed possible. It made me think about how I had changed over the years and ultimately led to the poem “Freeze.” </span></p><p><span style="color: #e06666;">We can’t force inspiration to happen. And if we’re always looking for something big and lofty, supernatural or divine—we may miss the transcendent nature of moments in our day-to-day lives. When something seemingly ordinary keeps niggling at us, I think that’s the universe saying: <i>Look! There’s magic here.</i></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #e06666;"><i><b> </b></i></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: #ffd966;"><span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span><b>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #e06666;"><i><b>Photos from Kathy Davis </b><br /></i></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeo6kysneuzhaQh7BM3FhCqqfqhiWtOtilKpwtJUFIPB0dCbpQhW-yqR8S0Op_r6ivAGkcYb9an__ch_dN8fE6FCOx6Xxx1XUTdVwyQHwfIhRmdOZpiAv5NphwvytrzzwhGuqdChMuZVFc/s640/Desk+with+a+View+2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeo6kysneuzhaQh7BM3FhCqqfqhiWtOtilKpwtJUFIPB0dCbpQhW-yqR8S0Op_r6ivAGkcYb9an__ch_dN8fE6FCOx6Xxx1XUTdVwyQHwfIhRmdOZpiAv5NphwvytrzzwhGuqdChMuZVFc/w221-h296/Desk+with+a+View+2.jpg" width="221" /></a></i><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRzq-YX54kJO2aXb79aYJ-vnAToCRNv63zkgAzf4XhTo89iwKw268XVsCwngBl5VeLM_8iDRV5IG4OEN746ZeAA6s0lLMg-JHdvc5zVwSVjiR-R0J7k_BAeV5JuAu5iuYniRWckG6b3sLZ/s640/Desk+with+a+View+1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRzq-YX54kJO2aXb79aYJ-vnAToCRNv63zkgAzf4XhTo89iwKw268XVsCwngBl5VeLM_8iDRV5IG4OEN746ZeAA6s0lLMg-JHdvc5zVwSVjiR-R0J7k_BAeV5JuAu5iuYniRWckG6b3sLZ/w280-h210/Desk+with+a+View+1.jpg" width="280" /> </a></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i> </i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIyFqtYNzu2gLwR9f4PU2kAzW7SFk4HvUiujp-rMW-rx_AKuEdnPldQSwwiiFqWqcHevzm9SkYrGAePX4IVoT4fqE1eIMVCAW3tgs258wbTuVi_6-c7qKRAAupVUK2Z4kLrHXk4S-uStKF/s640/Art+Institute+of+Chicago.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIyFqtYNzu2gLwR9f4PU2kAzW7SFk4HvUiujp-rMW-rx_AKuEdnPldQSwwiiFqWqcHevzm9SkYrGAePX4IVoT4fqE1eIMVCAW3tgs258wbTuVi_6-c7qKRAAupVUK2Z4kLrHXk4S-uStKF/w304-h228/Art+Institute+of+Chicago.jpg" width="304" /></a></div><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><b>Photo notes: </b>The photos
of the poet's writing space, where some of
the magic of creating poetry occurs, are quite lovely; I'd be inspired to write in this pretty room with the pretty view! </span></span></span>The Georgia O'Keeffe art print (on the bright orange wall) depicts clouds, but it reminds the poet of the
ice chunks she used to see on Lake Michigan (as mentioned in her
guest post). </span></span></span></i></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">Learning about the inspiration of some of the poems in the book, "The Shetland", </span></span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><span>"Eve: After the Fall", </span> and "Freeze", added another dimension to this work for me. All of the poems in <u>Passiflora</u>
are lovingly crafted, and capture different moments, moods, and details with
beauty and finesse. They tell stories of everyday life in an
extraordinary fashion. I didn't read the poems out loud, but I did read
some of them, including "The Shetland", more than once. That's what I
do when I really like a poem (unless it's extremely long). These poems
are outstanding, and touched me in various ways. </span></span></span></span></span></span><i><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"> </span></span></span></i></span> </span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: #ffd966;"><span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span><b>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwSZopgeytLB2VuUDhFoYlTbqSUzrdKsY_yFcW4Op-xsch_AH9Bmv688bD2OWP8ZksDM80h6bdim-nQxqJ2c3Ovn31_Y17ZbysfxxDVacgfKY8R8HWW2OTTEZuJtGH9lJ3pcp4TqVihHB4/s320/Poetic+Book+Tours.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="168" data-original-width="320" height="105" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwSZopgeytLB2VuUDhFoYlTbqSUzrdKsY_yFcW4Op-xsch_AH9Bmv688bD2OWP8ZksDM80h6bdim-nQxqJ2c3Ovn31_Y17ZbysfxxDVacgfKY8R8HWW2OTTEZuJtGH9lJ3pcp4TqVihHB4/w200-h105/Poetic+Book+Tours.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"> <br /></span></span></span></p><p>Special thanks to Kathy Davis for this guest post and for graciously sending me a copy of <u>Passiflora</u>, and to Serena from <a href="https://poeticbooktours.wordpress.com/2021/03/30/passiflora-by-kathy-davis-spring-2021/" rel="nofollow"><u>Poetic Book Tours</u></a> for inviting me to join the tour. For more reviews of this book and other features, please visit the other stops on <a href="https://poeticbooktours.wordpress.com/2021/03/30/passiflora-by-kathy-davis-spring-2021/"> the Passiflora tour</a>. I wanted to do something special for <a href="https://savvyverseandwit.com/2021/03/national-poetry-month-2021.html" target="_blank">National Poetry Month</a>, and reading this book was the perfect way for me to celebrate. There are still a few more days in April if you're also interested in celebrating by reading, listening to, or writing(!) some poetry, though of course poetry may be enjoyed all year long. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://savvyverseandwit.com/2021/03/national-poetry-month-2021.html" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="157" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh88FcYa8avEL0P1gIp6azQRYgJ60DizmWSwiuc1jRDPGrweGqTWJkVSp3rOZJ0tetd17Zp05FrFJm2Os_ogqubBldkGaoGWNVNaL6Q4xZT6voZ9pRTc9UB-4-Exc7lmAagu1nP3BclGgKc/s0/NPM+2021.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p>Thank you very much for reading! I welcome and appreciate your comments. <br /></p><p></p>Sukohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11893742747135555499noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8011304218892238385.post-2908842925161324662021-02-23T00:00:00.026-08:002021-05-04T23:58:11.945-07:00Letter to My Daughters Upon the Release of My Grown-up Book: A Guest Post by Elizabeth Kropf<p>My guest is the author of a new book of poems, <u>What Mothers Withhold: Poems by Elizabeth Kropf</u>, published in January 2021. I haven't read this book yet, but I've read several reviews of the book, and it's been described as beautiful, honest, and hopeful. It sounds like my kind of book. <a href="https://www.elizabethkropf.com/">Elizabeth Kropf</a> has graciously written an exclusive guest post for my blog, a special, sweet letter to her young daughters, infused with joy and love. Enjoy! </p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><span><span style="color: #3d85c6;">~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ </span></span></span></b></p><p style="text-align: right;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;"> <span style="color: #6fa8dc;"> </span></span><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqhkb4boP8oocoiccBaN_J2FMt-vDMecQko-4pfQOBgt5xgpi5pT-2f6rQtD75GmnzQx9xARnZR4liJnLVrjLX4iN3_ZKxLRojE20lR3lHFitsO6XRMu7O-l5qy16_HnhasObFM99h2RTU/s954/WhatMothersWithhold.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="954" data-original-width="954" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqhkb4boP8oocoiccBaN_J2FMt-vDMecQko-4pfQOBgt5xgpi5pT-2f6rQtD75GmnzQx9xARnZR4liJnLVrjLX4iN3_ZKxLRojE20lR3lHFitsO6XRMu7O-l5qy16_HnhasObFM99h2RTU/w320-h320/WhatMothersWithhold.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><br /></p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><span style="color: #990000;">Letter to my daughters upon the release of my grown-up book<br /> </span></b></span></p><p><span style="color: #990000;"><b>By Elizabeth Kropf</b><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="color: #990000;">My chapbook “what mothers withhold” has just been published from Finishing Line Press. This has presented an interesting paradox as my children are 10 and 5 and the book appropriately includes things that have been withheld from them. For now, neither of them have asked to read it, but some day they might want to. I have written a letter to them for this occasion. The letter refers to chocolate chip cookies, which references one of the poems my oldest daughter has heard.</span><br /></span></p><p><span style="color: #0b5394;">January 2021<br /></span></p><p><b><span style="color: #0b5394;">To my delightful, exuberant daughters,</span></b><span style="color: #0b5394;"></span></p><p><span style="color: #0b5394;"><br /> Someday, you might read my chapbook, or at least have an interest in it beyond chocolate chip cookies and announcing that I am famous while jumping on the couch. You may not understand why there is not more about your adventurous spirits. When that day comes, I hope you do understand how fiercely I love you and how protecting you is my strongest desire. If, someday, you choose to have children, you will have a deeper understanding of this, as I have a deeper understanding of my parents love for me.<br /></span></p><p><span style="color: #0b5394;"> Someday you may wonder why your dad is not in the book more. Every poem written, every critique group and workshop was attended while your dad was taking you on all of the adventures you have had. Writing is a way to process hard things, and while I was going through difficult times, your dad was next to me for all of it.<br /></span></p><p><span style="color: #0b5394;"> This book is only the beginning. I will write more about what each of you have taught me and how each of you will change the world. I will write about how much I enjoy watching you practice TaeKwonDo and how much I love your confidence.</span></p><p><span style="color: #0b5394;"> What I hope you learn from me publishing a book is that your voice matters, your story matters. Choose who holds your pain and when. Do not put a deadline on dreams.<br /><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-size: small;">Love</span><span style="font-size: small;">, Mom</span></span></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv6pfM_4Gp-YnibbZC4jzK_dDIRPJvKcruH1sxxB6iKsgKCoLaNbcMPhnFFJL6D9PI-QaWfa4YfGo-rzqQwCvnN5DJn4HXCUlf9wW0xELXcqSeyB7XdTokT_eAR2I7u025O8CxQtDGgTVp/w400-h266/EK+and+her+girls.jpg" width="400" /></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"> <b><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span></span></b><br /><b><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><span><b><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><span><span style="color: #3d85c6;">~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ </span></span></span></b></span></span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIL3bO8aSG-J_o9WISs0HodGtc8tmlF2lBq_At3yrCcJmNXkZ4w0PppEJXpLNL4UYWe89ohUOrY41yAHLZBayaQ1x3yJGc8yB9G1Uu18eoKB3aC_rKn7F5XhM16gV7s4bvBggohXgdCtA4/s320/PoeticBookTours.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="168" data-original-width="320" height="105" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIL3bO8aSG-J_o9WISs0HodGtc8tmlF2lBq_At3yrCcJmNXkZ4w0PppEJXpLNL4UYWe89ohUOrY41yAHLZBayaQ1x3yJGc8yB9G1Uu18eoKB3aC_rKn7F5XhM16gV7s4bvBggohXgdCtA4/w200-h105/PoeticBookTours.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>Special thanks to Serena from <a href="https://poeticbooktours.wordpress.com/2021/01/02/what-mothers-withhold-by-elizabeth-kropf-jan-feb-2021/" target="_blank">Poetic Book Tours</a> for inviting me to participate in this book tour. <span class="il">Like the poet, I have two daughters (and a son), so I think I this collection of poetry will resonate with me as a mother, and as a daughter. I look forward to reading it. Please visit the other stops on this <a href="https://poeticbooktours.wordpress.com/2021/01/02/what-mothers-withhold-by-elizabeth-kropf-jan-feb-2021/">tour</a> for reviews and other related features. </span><span class="il">The dazzling photograph above is by Alejandra Alumbaugh <span class="il">Photography.</span></span></p><p><span class="il">Thanks for reading! Your comments are welcomed.</span> </p>Sukohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11893742747135555499noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8011304218892238385.post-73182315938250650752020-10-14T00:00:00.012-07:002021-11-16T13:19:18.977-08:00Out of No Way<div class="separator" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz09crNSXD6Fj1tsu6ZjTMw402thxTe3EkZWPyfvK0D7q5SJj1u-KjBaJMMjmmbz7kbZvU0Fb_MGtcpoQDGPChjIm67d-BXyFLGNilZlS8X6k9-EvwL_WWhYRQRNtKQYqAxUTCf0wE3AK8/s688/Out+of+No+Way.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="688" data-original-width="431" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz09crNSXD6Fj1tsu6ZjTMw402thxTe3EkZWPyfvK0D7q5SJj1u-KjBaJMMjmmbz7kbZvU0Fb_MGtcpoQDGPChjIm67d-BXyFLGNilZlS8X6k9-EvwL_WWhYRQRNtKQYqAxUTCf0wE3AK8/s320/Out+of+No+Way.png" /></a></div><p></p><p><b><i>Out of no way</i></b> is an old African American expression that means to thrive in spite of impossible odds. This expression fits perfectly as the title for this book by producer, author, and poet Rojé Augustin, <u>Out of No Way: Madam C.J. Walker & A' Lelia Walker, A Poetic Drama</u>. Published in 2020, this debut poetry collection uses poetic verse to tell the story of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madam_C._J._Walker">Madam C.J. Walker</a> (1867-1919). Born Sarah Breedlove, the first free-born child of former Louisiana slaves, she achieves great success in spite of a humble and difficult beginning. Sarah was orphaned at 7, married at 14, became a mother at 17, and became a widow at 20. She went from earning pennies as a laundress and maid to becoming a very wealthy hair care entrepreneur, activist, and philanthropist. </p><p></p><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5QEuQQuvo49AmYWYvBiw4jZRuSF004juOl77egXCGoNN1xl4a73-F1N7ELY7zXx5BS-utP0ktvOv4Pcelkrjd8C3NIFQAA7lgdsm7txwEXsLiwmf3IBZCUEWkbzPQfxhlVPGUfNogk8eT/s201/Walker%2527s+Wonderful+Hair+Grower.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="201" data-original-width="194" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5QEuQQuvo49AmYWYvBiw4jZRuSF004juOl77egXCGoNN1xl4a73-F1N7ELY7zXx5BS-utP0ktvOv4Pcelkrjd8C3NIFQAA7lgdsm7txwEXsLiwmf3IBZCUEWkbzPQfxhlVPGUfNogk8eT/w193-h200/Walker%2527s+Wonderful+Hair+Grower.jpg" width="193" /></a></div><p>Personal struggles with hair loss led Sarah to develop a hair care
product for herself and other black women, which was the start of her
lucrative career in business. With the help of her daughter, A' Lelia, and third husband, Charles J. Walker, the Madam C.J. Walker Manufacturing Company became a very successful business. Madam C.J. Walker trained thousands of women to become independent sales agents for her beauty products. Equipped with drive and tremendous resilience, Madam Walker became the first self-made female millionaire in America, and one of the first African American millionaires in America. It's remarkable that she achieved this feat during one of the most racially violent periods in American history, during the Jim Crow era. Based on biographies and archival materials, this book tells her story, using dramatic verse. It's a unique collection of poems in different poetic forms, including narrative and lyrical poems, haiku, and blackout poetry, which depict an extraordinary story of entrepreneurial success, and the extraordinary love between a mother and daughter. <br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span> </span><span> <span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="269" data-original-width="187" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJkeTFYrHUm6EuvReHJMC-to-BjI7XS1W_84wAXVTNcCEjm59BpRjy-3eUqKo3nGbAKFCP-3NH0gp3m0tmNYN5W4E8FSii1wQetjhlwpqQO3vt8uJ8RZTtDyzcSrwS6igWw-eT6ZxgLDLV/w139-h200/Sarah+Breedlove%253AMadam+C.J.Walker.jpg" width="139" /><img border="0" data-original-height="352" data-original-width="220" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeZB92enYQ2YXuaSJ2nBH6xtbXyXnOBQZpPPQc2rsDipOJs-_LTHR-X8MBmm25gun24Glx02bS3ZZpiFioiPfZeOZ99kPsN0o5mxa5bAuALZhDb7M9i7kydhStyFjMYef-Gzx2gs6md7D_/w125-h200/A%2527Lelia+Walker.jpg" width="125" /></div></div></span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span style="font-size: medium;"> <span style="font-family: Dancing Script;">Sarah, Mother A' Lelia, Daughter</span></span><span><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><br /></div><p></p><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">I have long been interested in biographies and stories of success, stories that
illustrate our ability to improve our lot in life. When I read them, I want to learn about the character traits that aid success, and to be inspired. This collection of poems had that effect on me. Although <u>Out of No Way</u> is serious and delves deeply into themes such as racism and hate, it's also uplifting at times. It depicts the rags-to-riches story of Madam C.J. Walker through dramatic, varied verse, presented as an exciting, absorbing story, and features A' Lelia's perspective as well. I relished the illustrations and advertisements of her hair and skin products in the book. As a woman, I'm interested in these products (recently, I've rediscovered henna for the hair, which I first used when I was in high school). I greatly enjoyed reading this book.</div><p>Because poetry is especially wonderful to listen to, here are links to some of the poems in <u>Out of No Way</u>, performed by poet Rojé Augustin on YouTube. I could use many adjectives to describe these poems. But these beautiful, touching, heart-wrenching poems speak for themselves. <br /></p><div>
<div><span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Elegy for my Mother</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v%3DTyB2_FTY4_4&source=gmail&ust=1602533934600000&usg=AFQjCNH1iKdUMeuR_veW66VEHGg-EFtpig" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TyB2_FTY4_4" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?<wbr></wbr>v=TyB2_FTY4_4</a><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Why Our Hair is <span class="il">not</span> Straight:</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v%3D0bFKpoVSzAE&source=gmail&ust=1602533934600000&usg=AFQjCNH9z7mPJGyGf52V7JEihdPYYJcWRw" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0bFKpoVSzAE" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?<wbr></wbr>v=0bFKpoVSzAE</a><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Lost Letters:</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v%3DvD5DmJr6xE0&source=gmail&ust=1602533934600000&usg=AFQjCNEa-d-Je-XWMGMOCdqLpyBWvt2pFg" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vD5DmJr6xE0" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?<wbr></wbr>v=vD5DmJr6xE0</a><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Graves & Thrones:</span></span></div><div dir="ltr"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v%3DQS3VIuLhHuU&source=gmail&ust=1602533934600000&usg=AFQjCNHrBKsCBO9QIKcKit30f7X_bxlUPw" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QS3VIuLhHuU" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?<wbr></wbr>v=QS3VIuLhHuU</a></span><span face="verdana, sans-serif" style="color: #674ea7;"><br /></span></div> </div><div> </div><p style="text-align: left;"><b>AUTHOR BIO:</b></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsH-GHx7MjB8CQJ_2tnzEnOeI8LJxoUvKmwxTjyoCRTokMpp2kzXdhSARKl5_5B6WaMX_bfrCDIOsdIbs46LJxSaDuWJF6_8DblgIH12m0HYXRtYlMl8byfp80B4q6Z1ORICzEzj6Wy3Rl/s2000/Roje%25CC%2581+Augustin.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1869" data-original-width="2000" height="187" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsH-GHx7MjB8CQJ_2tnzEnOeI8LJxoUvKmwxTjyoCRTokMpp2kzXdhSARKl5_5B6WaMX_bfrCDIOsdIbs46LJxSaDuWJF6_8DblgIH12m0HYXRtYlMl8byfp80B4q6Z1ORICzEzj6Wy3Rl/w200-h187/Roje%25CC%2581+Augustin.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Rojé Augustin is a native New Yorker who grew up on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. Her first novel, <u>The Unraveling of Bebe Jones</u>, on which her drama series pitch BEAU REVE is based, won the 2013 National Indie Excellence Award in African American fiction. She wrote the novel while living in London and Sydney as a stay-at-home-mom. She established <i>Breaknight Films</i> shortly after her move to Sydney in 2009 to develop and produce projects across a range of formats, including television, web, and audio. Her first Sydney based project was a podcast and visual web series called <i>The Right Space</i>, which explores the relationship between creatives and their workspace. In 2013 Rojé's script, <i>The Weekly: Women Who Shaped a Nation</i>, was selected for the Australian Writer's Guild Pathways Program. In 2020 Rojé published a debut poetry collection titled, </span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><u>Out of No Way: Madam C.J.Walker and A' Leila Walker, A Poetic Drama</u>, which tells the story of Madam Walker's phenomenal life. Rojé continues to work as a producer while also writing in her spare time. She is an Australian citizen who currently lives in Sydney with her Aussie husband and two daughters. <u><br /></u></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> <span style="color: red;"><b>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</b></span></span><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwSZopgeytLB2VuUDhFoYlTbqSUzrdKsY_yFcW4Op-xsch_AH9Bmv688bD2OWP8ZksDM80h6bdim-nQxqJ2c3Ovn31_Y17ZbysfxxDVacgfKY8R8HWW2OTTEZuJtGH9lJ3pcp4TqVihHB4/s320/Poetic+Book+Tours.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="168" data-original-width="320" height="105" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwSZopgeytLB2VuUDhFoYlTbqSUzrdKsY_yFcW4Op-xsch_AH9Bmv688bD2OWP8ZksDM80h6bdim-nQxqJ2c3Ovn31_Y17ZbysfxxDVacgfKY8R8HWW2OTTEZuJtGH9lJ3pcp4TqVihHB4/w200-h105/Poetic+Book+Tours.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><p>Special thanks to Serena from <a href="https://poeticbooktours.wordpress.com/2020/08/26/out-of-no-way-by-roje-augustin-sept-oct/" rel="nofollow"><u>Poetic Book Tours</u></a> for inviting me to participate in this tour. I'd never heard of Madam C.J. Walker before joining this wonderful tour. Poet Rojé Augustin brought her to life for me. Now, I want to learn as much as I can about Madam Walker's life and legacy. She made a way out of no way, and then used her wealth and influence to help and empower others. I'd love to visit Madam Walker's grand home, Villa Lewaro, in Irvington, NY, a National Historic Landmark that was purchased in 2018 by the New Voices Foundation, which helps women of color achieve their entrepreneurial dreams. This book affected me deeply. For more reviews of <u>Out of No Way</u> and other features, please stop by <a href="https://poeticbooktours.wordpress.com/2020/08/26/out-of-no-way-by-roje-augustin-sept-oct/">Poetic Book Tours</a>.</p><p> Thank you for reading! Your comments are welcomed, as always. </p>Sukohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11893742747135555499noreply@blogger.com25tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8011304218892238385.post-75174957421570277452020-07-08T16:00:00.000-07:002020-07-08T16:01:21.135-07:00Reading during the Coronavirus Pandemic<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHQ7Xz2ON1J11zoNF_Ssl-Gmmjt9CLQgzBz2vz6CfmfdFgQ739tMaqv5iEuxZZNknUOwKdcYxTa15teZLt3iWW72FddAn3GT_IeZHrlN1ahyphenhyphennYxn0rS3MTkUhJL0ZL7oaGBZtPd2II2kw7/s1600/Reading+in+the+mts.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHQ7Xz2ON1J11zoNF_Ssl-Gmmjt9CLQgzBz2vz6CfmfdFgQ739tMaqv5iEuxZZNknUOwKdcYxTa15teZLt3iWW72FddAn3GT_IeZHrlN1ahyphenhyphennYxn0rS3MTkUhJL0ZL7oaGBZtPd2II2kw7/s400/Reading+in+the+mts.jpg" width="372" /></a></div>
<br />
I think I'm reading a bit more than I was before the Covid-19 invasion (although I spend some of that reading time perusing the latest news about the coronavirus). I have a couple of questions for my readers. How have the pandemic, shutdown, and lack of social activity affected your reading habits? Are you reading more as a result, or less? Are you, like me, also watching more TV shows and movies (at home)? I'm interested in finding out. Please leave your answers in the comments. Thank you! Sukohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11893742747135555499noreply@blogger.com31tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8011304218892238385.post-11847469298942967942020-06-25T12:45:00.000-07:002020-06-26T13:20:48.922-07:0015 Super-Nerdy Book Facts for Bibliophiles: A Guest Post by Desiree VillenaCalling all bibliophiles! I loved reading this incredible guest post written by Desiree Villena from Reedsy, and think my readers will, too. Enjoy!<br />
<h1>
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="_svdc7jgymt8a"></a></h1>
<h3 style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #674ea7;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-size: large;"><span style="color: #674ea7;"><span style="color: #8e7cc3;"><u>15 Super-Nerdy Book Facts for Bibliophiles</u>: </span></span><span style="color: #674ea7;"><span style="color: #8e7cc3;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></h3>
<h3 style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #674ea7;">
</span><span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-size: large;"><span style="color: #674ea7;"><span style="color: #674ea7;"><span style="color: #8e7cc3;">A Guest Post by Desiree Villena</span></span></span><u> </u></span></span></span></span></span></span></h3>
<br />
<span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Fans of Jane Austen might pride themselves on
being able to recite the opening lines of lesser-known titles like <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Lady Susan</i> as easily as <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Pride and Prejudice</i>. Potterheads might
know the series so well, they can list off the fictional birthdays of each
character. Avid Tolkien readers might have encyclopedic familiarity with
Middle-earth lore. In general, book-lovers tend to be deep wells of knowledge
when it comes to their favorite stories or authors.</span><br />
<br />
<div class="Normal1">
<span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">In this post, however, I want to talk
about the world of literature as a whole and reveal my top 15 pieces of
biblio-trivia.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> How
many did you already know?</span></div>
<div class="Normal1">
<br /></div>
<div class="Normal1">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">
</span></div>
<h2>
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">1.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: large; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Longest novel</span></h2>
<div class="Normal1">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Words
just seem to flow more easily in French. </span><a href="http://mentalfloss.com/article/18661/quick-10-10-longest-novels-ever"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Both of the world’s
longest books</span></a><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">
were written by French authors:</span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artam%C3%A8ne"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; text-decoration: none;"> </span></a><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Artamène ou le Grand Cyrus</span></i><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> by Georges de Scudéry goes on
for 1.95 million words, while <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Men of Good
Will </i>by Jules Romains has an astounding 2.07 million word count across 27
volumes. That’s about twice the size of the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">entire
</i>Harry Potter series combined<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>—<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> </i>and </span><a href="https://blog.reedsy.com/how-many-words-in-a-novel/"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">well above the
average length</span></a><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> of
a novel. (<span style="background: white; mso-highlight: white;">And here we were
all wondering if <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Order of the Phoenix </i>could
have done with some editing!)</span></span></div>
<h2>
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="_kvz0eyi4ssig"></a><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">2.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: large; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Most expensive print book</span></h2>
<div class="Normal1">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Drumroll,
please! The most expensive book in the world is none other than the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Bay Psalm Book,</i> a pamphlet of hymns
produced by Puritans who emigrated to Massachusetts Bay in 1640. These days,
there are only 11 original copies in existence. The copy I’m speaking of here
was </span><a href="https://www.cnn.com/2013/11/26/us/worlds-most-valuable-book-auction/index.html"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">sold for a whopping
$14.2 million</span></a><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> in
2013 — making this slender pamphlet more expensive than the “Marie Antoinette”
necklace and the Moussaieff Red Diamond combined.</span></div>
<h2>
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="_g6v241gdii5n"></a><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">3.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: large; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Smallest book</span></h2>
<div class="Normal1">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">How
small is the smallest book in the world? Try this on for size: 70 micrometers
by 100 micrometers. (That’s about the width of a human hair.) Perhaps
fittingly, </span><a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2757725/The-world-s-smallest-book-produced-15-000-fits-width-human-HAIR.html"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">it’s a reproduction
of a book titled </span></a><a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2757725/The-world-s-smallest-book-produced-15-000-fits-width-human-HAIR.html"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Teeny Ted from Turnip Town</span></i></a><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> — </span></i><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">a
tale about a small bear at a county fair. You won’t be able to read it with
your naked eye, so if you want to find out who wins the turnip-growing contest,
grab the nearest electron microscope and get ready to squint. </span></div>
<h2>
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="_uixnirpqvwfu"></a><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">4. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">tsundoku</i></span></h2>
<div class="Normal1">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">For
all you bibliophiles out there, there’s actually a Japanese word to describe
the act of buying books and not reading them. </span><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial unicode ms"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">積ん読</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">tsundoku</i>)<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> </i>is a pun that
combines the word <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">tsundeoku</i> (which
means to “to pile things up”) and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">dokusho</i>
(which means “to read”). Literally: to pile up things to read. No word yet on
whether there’s a cure for this behavior.</span></div>
<h2>
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="_4owfzgl8s6oh"></a><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">5. </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: large; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: large;">Bestselling author of all time</span> </span></h2>
<div class="Normal1">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">There’s
a bit of a debate over who occupies the top spot, with both Agatha Christie and
Shakespeare </span><a href="http://historythings.com/five-top-bestselling-authors-time/"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">having sold somewhere
between 2-4 billion copies of their books</span></a><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">. I’m sure that no one would mind if I call it a
virtual tie for now. Here’s some more trivia for the road, as well: Danielle
Steel sold more total books than J.K. Rowling, and out of the top 10
bestselling authors ever, nine out of ten wrote in English. </span></div>
<h2>
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="_rondxf7jxt87"></a><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">6. </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: large; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Bestselling novel of all time</span></h2>
<div class="Normal1">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">It’s
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Don Quixote</i>’s world, and we’re just
living in it. <span style="background: white; mso-highlight: white;">This tale of a
delusional, romantic knight and his trusty squire </span></span><a href="http://www.toptenz.net/10-bestselling-novels-time.php"><span style="background: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">has sold an estimated 500 million copies</span></a><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">. To be fair, it had a massive
head start: Miguel de Cervantes published it in 1605, more than 250 years
before the number-two bestselling novel of all time, Charles Dickens’ <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">A Tale of Two Cities</i>. That gives the
next two entrants — <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Lord of the Rings</i>
and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Little Prince</i> — something to
aim for in the next quarter-millennium!</span></div>
<h2>
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="_b1o58o6hzrs3"></a><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">7.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: large; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Shortest chapter</span></h2>
<div class="Normal1">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Taken
from Allen Carr's <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Easy Way to Stop
Smoking</i>, the shortest chapter in existence is titled "The Advantages
of Being a Smoker" and is, quite appropriately, blank. </span><a href="https://blog.reedsy.com/how-long-should-a-chapter-be/"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Some more famous
examples come from</span></a><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> William Faulkner’s five-word chapter in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">As I Lay Dying</i> and Lewis Carroll’s eight-word chapter in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Alice In Wonderland</i>. For more wee
chapters in literature, </span><a href="https://www.shortlist.com/entertainment/the-20-shortest-chapters-in-literature/99631"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">check out this page</span></a><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">. As it points out, if you read
them all, you’ve practically read an entire book, right?</span></div>
<h2>
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="_qomvivhk962y"></a><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">8.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: large; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Longest sentence</span></h2>
<div class="Normal1">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Until
quite recently, the longest sentence in literature came from Jonathan Coe’s
2001 novel <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Rotter’s Club</i>. It’s a
bonafide mouthful that lasts a whopping 13,955 words (roughly half the word
count of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Of Mice and Men</i>).</span></div>
<div class="Normal1">
<br /></div>
<div class="Normal1">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">However,<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> </i>that record has since been usurped by
Lucy Ellman’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Ducks, Newburyport, </i>a
finalist for the 2019 Booker Prize which famously contains nearly the entire
novel in a single sentence of over 400,000 words (!!!).Though Ellman’s
gargantuan sentence is clearly the technical champion here, I thought I’d
include both in case readers were curious about the longest sentence <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">within </i>a book, as well as comprising the
entire thing.</span></div>
<h2>
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="_pfgmtvnbumzz"></a><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">9.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: large; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Biggest library ever</span></h2>
<div class="Normal1">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Hermione
Granger’s secret? “When in doubt, go to the library.” Even if the Library of
Congress doesn’t contain any magical books, it <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">is</i> the </span><a href="https://www.loc.gov/about/fascinating-facts/"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">biggest in the
world</span></a><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">,
boasting over 150 million items and the largest collection of rare books in
history (including one of the three perfect copies of the Gutenberg Bible). On
top of all that, the Library of Congress receives 15,000 new books every day —
which might be enough to keep even the hungriest reader occupied.</span></div>
<h2>
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="_3msmbhy1c9g7"></a><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">10. </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: large; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Longest word</span></h2>
<div class="Normal1">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The </span><a href="https://gizmodo.com/5962401/the-longest-word-in-english-takes-35-hours-to-pronounce"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">longest word in
history</span></a><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> is
the chemical name for the protein ‘titin’:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span></div>
<div class="Normal1">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="Normal1" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">methionylthreonylthreonyglutaminylarginyl[…]isoleucine.
</span></div>
<div class="Normal1">
<br /></div>
<div class="Normal1">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The
ellipses, by the way, are there for your convenience. Otherwise, this word
could take you a solid minute to scroll through on a screen. At a total of
189,819 letters, it would take about 3.5 hours to pronounce from beginning to
end. </span></div>
<div class="Normal1">
<br /></div>
<div class="Normal1">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">In
comparison, the </span><a href="https://interestingliterature.com/2014/02/20/the-longest-words-in-literature/"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">longest word to
ever appear in literature</span></a><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> seems practically compact: Lopadotemachoselachogaleokranioleipsanodrimhypotrimmatosilphiokarabomelitokatakechymenokichlepikossyphophattoperisteralektryonoptekephalliokigklopeleiolagoiosiraiobaphetraganopterygon,
which is a fictional Greek dish in Aristophanes’ <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Assemblywomen</i>.</span></div>
<h2 style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="_nh901fmddxd"></a><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">11.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: large; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Largest
population of bookworms</span></h2>
<div class="Normal1">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Since
Asia is the biggest continent, it makes sense that it would also have the most
bookworms! According to the </span><a href="https://geediting.com/world-reading-habits/"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">2014 </span></a><a href="https://geediting.com/world-reading-habits/"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">NOP</span></a><a href="https://geediting.com/world-reading-habits/"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> World Culture Score Index</span></a><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">, India is the country that reads
the most, clocking on average more than 10 hours per week per person. That
said, people in Thailand and China aren’t far behind — they read 9.24 and 8
hours per week per person, respectively. Meanwhile, the United States only
reads a measly 5.6 hours per week per person, ranking it 22nd on the list.</span></div>
<h2 style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="_al9ji17pla76"></a><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">12.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: large; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Longest series
ever</span></h2>
<div class="Normal1">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">A Song of Ice and Fire</span></i><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> doesn’t even come close. This
title goes to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Perry Rhodan</i>, a German
science fiction series whose first installment was published in 1961. It’s come
quite a way since then: as of April 2017, the original series </span><a href="http://www.weirdworm.com/the-most-inexplicable-longest-running-book-series/"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">consists of more
than 2</span></a><a href="http://www.weirdworm.com/the-most-inexplicable-longest-running-book-series/"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">,</span></a><a href="http://www.weirdworm.com/the-most-inexplicable-longest-running-book-series/"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">900 novels</span></a><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">. That pushes <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Perry Rhodan </i>to just over 300,000 pages
in total. To put that into perspective for you, Terry Pratchett's entire
45-book Discworld series comes out to 15,497 pages — and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">A Song of Ice and Fire</i> totals “only” 4,228 pages so far.</span></div>
<h2 style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="_x8kcuqvqv1u6"></a><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">13.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: large; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Thickest book
published</span></h2>
<div class="Normal1">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">HarperCollins
has the distinct honor of publishing the thickest book in the world: a complete
collection of Agatha Christie’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Miss
Marple</i> stories that measures 12.6 inches (322 mm) in width. As the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Guinness Book of World Records</i> </span><a href="http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/thickest-book-published"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">points out</span></a><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">, that’s 68 crimes committed, 11
philandering paramours, 68 secrets, 12 poisonings, 6 strangulations, 2
drownings, 1 death by an arrow, 2 people pushed, and 66 maids. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">All in a day’s work</i>, as Miss Marple
might say. </span></div>
<h2 style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="_jf0aroabybq"></a><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">14.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: large; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">abibliophobia</span></i></span></h2>
<div class="Normal1">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Fear
of spiders? Nope. On the contrary, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">abibliophobia
</i>describes a reader’s worst nightmare: it’s an extreme fear of running out
of reading material. Signs of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">abibliophobia</i>
include: </span></div>
<div class="Normal1" style="margin-left: 1.0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="Normal1" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">●<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Reading receipts when there’s nothing else around;</span></div>
<div class="Normal1" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">●<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Panicking because you forgot to bring a book with you on a flight; and</span></div>
<div class="Normal1" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">●<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Re-reading novels more than six times in a row. </span></div>
<div class="Normal1">
<br /></div>
<div class="Normal1">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">If
you are experiencing any of the above symptoms, consult your local bookstore
immediately.</span></div>
<h2>
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="_jlycmxebwt0"></a><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">15.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: large; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Most words invented</span></h2>
<div class="Normal1">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Sure,
Paris Hilton </span><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/20/style/paris-hilton-selfie.html?mtrref=www.google.com&gwh=A619906A6E5E76D1126732256B87197A&gwt=pay"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">thinks that she
invented the word “selfie”</span></a><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> — but could she come up with more than 1,700 new words? That’s the
number of terms that we owe to Shakespeare, without whom we wouldn’t have such
commonly-used words as “anchovy,” “addiction,” “compromise,” “drugged,”
“auspicious,” “bedazzle,” “bloodstained,” “assassination,” “negotiate,”
“radiance,” “torture,” “dauntless,” “summit,” “frugal,” and “excitement.” I
could go on, but I’ll let Shakespeare have the last word: “amazement.”</span></div>
<div class="Normal1">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="Normal1" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">
</span><br />
<hr align="center" size="2" width="100%" />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">
</span></div>
<div class="Normal1">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Desiree Villena is a writer with Reedsy, a
marketplace that connects authors with the world's </span></i><a href="https://blog.reedsy.com/best-self-publishing-companies/"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">self-publishing resources</span></i></a><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> and professionals. In her spare time, Desiree enjoys reading
contemporary fiction, writing short stories, and boning up on literary trivia!</span></i><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #38761d;">~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</span></div>
<br />
Thank you for this nifty, nerdy, noteworthy guest post, Desiree. I learned a lot of fascinating, new <span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">biblio-trivia (at least I knew the word <a href="https://www.sukosnotebook.net/2019/01/wondrous-words-wednesday-tsundoku.html">t<i>sundoku</i></a>)! I appreciate the time and effort that went into this well-written post, which includes terrific links to various related sites.</span><br />
<span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span>
<span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">What do you think? Your comments are welcomed as always, so please feel free to add to the conversation. </span></div>
<style>
<!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:Arial;
panose-1:2 11 6 4 2 2 2 2 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:-536859905 -1073711037 9 0 511 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:"Cambria Math";
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;
mso-font-charset:1;
mso-generic-font-family:roman;
mso-font-format:other;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:0 0 0 0 0 0;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
line-height:115%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:Arial;
mso-fareast-font-family:Arial;}
p.Normal1, li.Normal1, div.Normal1
{mso-style-name:Normal1;
mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-parent:"";
margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
line-height:115%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:Arial;
mso-fareast-font-family:Arial;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
mso-default-props:yes;
font-size:11.0pt;
mso-ansi-font-size:11.0pt;
mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:Arial;
mso-ascii-font-family:Arial;
mso-fareast-font-family:Arial;
mso-hansi-font-family:Arial;
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;}
.MsoPapDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
line-height:115%;}size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in;
mso-header-margin:.5in;
mso-footer-margin:.5in;
mso-paper-source:0;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}</style> <br />
<style>
<!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:Arial;
panose-1:2 11 6 4 2 2 2 2 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:-536859905 -1073711037 9 0 511 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:"Cambria Math";
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;
mso-font-charset:1;
mso-generic-font-family:roman;
mso-font-format:other;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:0 0 0 0 0 0;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
line-height:115%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:Arial;
mso-fareast-font-family:Arial;}
h1
{mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-link:"Heading 1 Char";
mso-style-next:Normal;
margin-top:20.0pt;
margin-right:0in;
margin-bottom:6.0pt;
margin-left:0in;
line-height:115%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan lines-together;
page-break-after:avoid;
mso-outline-level:1;
font-size:20.0pt;
font-family:Arial;
mso-font-kerning:0pt;
font-weight:normal;}
span.Heading1Char
{mso-style-name:"Heading 1 Char";
mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-locked:yes;
mso-style-link:"Heading 1";
mso-ansi-font-size:20.0pt;
mso-bidi-font-size:20.0pt;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
mso-default-props:yes;
font-size:11.0pt;
mso-ansi-font-size:11.0pt;
mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:Arial;
mso-ascii-font-family:Arial;
mso-fareast-font-family:Arial;
mso-hansi-font-family:Arial;
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;}
.MsoPapDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
line-height:115%;}size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in;
mso-header-margin:.5in;
mso-footer-margin:.5in;
mso-paper-source:0;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}</style>Sukohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11893742747135555499noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8011304218892238385.post-86869072239261741362019-03-27T22:00:00.000-07:002019-03-28T12:12:49.051-07:00Kafka on the Shore<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN_Mpofrs_2pUGxVICP6Hz2YsbCMMrytwbeG_0qik7AJu6dbBtU46bQthLnwgcxktE0GU57YiEluCn6ETb9lDHOMzxyq1UYSVX-9khGYRiHtwTbLaOn1Fh3PY1TI0fuwdUgc87GK8DpRMS/s1600/Kafka+on+the+Shore+sko.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN_Mpofrs_2pUGxVICP6Hz2YsbCMMrytwbeG_0qik7AJu6dbBtU46bQthLnwgcxktE0GU57YiEluCn6ETb9lDHOMzxyq1UYSVX-9khGYRiHtwTbLaOn1Fh3PY1TI0fuwdUgc87GK8DpRMS/s400/Kafka+on+the+Shore+sko.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
For several years, I've been interested in reading the work of <a href="http://www.harukimurakami.com/">Haruki Murakami</a>, so I was very pleased to find the novel, <u><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/1400043662/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1400043662&linkCode=am2&tag=suksnot-20&linkId=69d76cf21743133886ae44e45aa23194" target="_blank">Kafka on the Shore</a></u>, translated from the Japanese by Philip Gabriel, on a small table in my daughter's room. Over the years, I've read a lot about Murakami's work, and was interested in several novels by this prolific, bestselling author, as well as his memoir, <u>What I Talk about When I Talk about Running</u>, which caught my interest even before I'd begun to run on a regular basis.<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b>"On my fifteenth birthday I'll run away from home, journey to a far-off town, and live in a corner of a small library."</b></span></span> </blockquote>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
Published in 2005, <u>Kafka on the Shore</u> focuses on protagonist Kafka Tamura, a fifteen-year-old boy who lives with his father in Tokyo. Kafka runs away from home to escape from his troubles with his father. The first five chapters in this book are told in the first person narrative by Kafka. On the run, Kafka travels to a shore village called Takamatsu, and discovers the Komura Family Library, where he meets Oshima, who works at the library. Throughout the book, Oshima helps Kafka in numerous ways. Kafka also meets the lovely but sad Miss Saeki, who's in charge of the library. In Chapter 6, we meet Satoru Nakata, an older man who refers to himself in the third person throughout the book simply as Nakata. He "used to be smart", but due to a strange accident Nakata became mentally disabled, and lost his ability to read. Oddly, though, Nakata can talk to cats, and he helps find missing cats. (Chapter 16, "the scary cat chapter", was very difficult for me to read. Without saying too much about it, what happens in this chapter is
horrific; I felt as if I were suddenly, temporarily reading a Stephen King horror story.) Later Nakata meets Hoshino, a truck driver, and they become good friends. Nakata reminds Hoshino of his grandfather, and together they embark on a special quest. The lives of all of these characters, and other, secondary characters, like Sakura, Johnnie Walker, and Colonel Sanders, intersect in numerous, unusual ways, creating an unforgettable story. <br />
<br />
There are so many things I could say about <u>Kafka on the Shore</u>. It's a story unlike any other I've read. It's a beautifully written book that features a passion for books and libraries, music, nature, food (mostly delicious Japanese food), cats, and perhaps most importantly, friendship. The protagonist's very name, Kafka, reflects themes of writer Franz Kafka's work, of alienation and loneliness. The wonderful friendships that develop in this book, especially between Kafka and Oshima, and Nakata and Hoshino, are antidotes to this alienation; the characters help and care for each other, and in doing so, provide companionship and solace. Throughout the book, Kafka seeks close, familial connection to others; he wonders if Miss Saeki is his mother, if Sakura is his sister. He craves connection. <br />
<br />
<u>Kafka on the Shore</u> is a magical story which also has some magic, or more precisely, magical realism, in it, in just the right amount. At times, readers are left to wonder what's real and what's imaginary. I read the book at a leisurely pace, often at night before I went to sleep, a chapter or two at a time. I looked forward to my time with this novel because the book is original and fascinating. The main characters in this novel are unique and I enjoyed spending time with them. I've been to Japan twice (my daughter lives in Japan so we have a good "excuse" to travel there), which enhanced my enjoyment of the book. I'd like to reread <u>Kafka on the Shore</u> soon, while it's still fresh in my mind, because I enjoyed it a great deal and would like to understand it at a deeper level. There are several puzzles and mysteries in the book, and although I'm not sure I will ever solve all of them, a rereading would at least bring me closer. It would also be a pleasure. <br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl28zC3QO0CftcwEuI1_MMjH5TVDUXwOyvN78fMAC1aiMDjj8TDXUg27xeM0kRLcKVSzdhc8zX3Kt14ivzepa4T1rw2wXhD54a1ggZwAZi2D3h5KLT5nEyr1APJgMP-fSMJGsWnAC0Gayh/s1600/JLC12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl28zC3QO0CftcwEuI1_MMjH5TVDUXwOyvN78fMAC1aiMDjj8TDXUg27xeM0kRLcKVSzdhc8zX3Kt14ivzepa4T1rw2wXhD54a1ggZwAZi2D3h5KLT5nEyr1APJgMP-fSMJGsWnAC0Gayh/s320/JLC12.jpg" width="241" /></a></div>
<br />
Special thanks to Bellezza from <a href="https://dolcebellezza.net/">Dolce Bellezza</a> for hosting the <a href="https://dolcebellezza.net/japanese-literature-challenge-12/">Japanese Literature Challenge 12</a>. She has hosted this challenge for many years, and in doing so has introduced me to the rich world of Japanese literature, for which I'm grateful.<br />
<br />
Thanks for reading! Your comments are welcomed, as always.Sukohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11893742747135555499noreply@blogger.com26tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8011304218892238385.post-89278666596255370902019-01-23T15:00:00.000-08:002019-01-24T14:30:54.153-08:00Wondrous Words Wednesday: Tsundoku<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCafPqFQQvlRm9Mv2RZLEElkcC0IZh38QvcsvmHUHYWg0iD493EpFX4TU9ajcnhw97SL4632iqU59AFdvylmcCadVLd3h-RDRvg-OJCY1mUQGtXl0SYivqqxH8nGDCsZDeZ6weOdT_Z61q/s1600/Tsundoku.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="274" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCafPqFQQvlRm9Mv2RZLEElkcC0IZh38QvcsvmHUHYWg0iD493EpFX4TU9ajcnhw97SL4632iqU59AFdvylmcCadVLd3h-RDRvg-OJCY1mUQGtXl0SYivqqxH8nGDCsZDeZ6weOdT_Z61q/s320/Tsundoku.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<b>Tsundoku:</b> Japanese for leaving a book unread after acquiring it, usually piled up together with other unread books.<br />
<br />
I found this word, and Ella Frances Sanders' wonderful illustration (above), in a fascinating article on <a href="https://getpocket.com/?src=pkt_portal">Pocket</a> today, <a href="https://getpocket.com/explore/item/umberto-eco-s-antilibrary-why-unread-books-are-more-valuable-to-our-lives-than-read-ones"><i>Umberto Eco's Antilibrary: Why Unread Books Are More Valuable to Our Lives than Read Ones</i></a>. After I discovered this Japanese term, I felt compelled to share it with my fellow book bloggers and readers. It certainly applies to me. Let me know if you can relate to this, too! <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhynBS9w8d_pRDHF6LzByBy_JQL5X6MJlkMQcnDxzabrIcdV_G7gsYSS-V03E4ACjrJ2RQUT_mkfKxgWOt2-W6py2g9JyODWOmHJHdpJjsrZSGJ_A7TUYagisDbfTkxR1RlH-vnyL88M5kX/s1600/wondrous2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="203" data-original-width="176" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhynBS9w8d_pRDHF6LzByBy_JQL5X6MJlkMQcnDxzabrIcdV_G7gsYSS-V03E4ACjrJ2RQUT_mkfKxgWOt2-W6py2g9JyODWOmHJHdpJjsrZSGJ_A7TUYagisDbfTkxR1RlH-vnyL88M5kX/s200/wondrous2.png" width="173" /></a></div>
<br />
Graciously hosted each week by Kathy from <a href="https://bermudaonion.net/">BermudaOnion's Weblog</a>, <a href="https://bermudaonion.net/2019/01/23/wondrous-words-wednesday-517/">Wondrous Words Wednesday</a> is a great way to share new words you've encountered while reading. If you want to play along, find a word (or a few words), grab the button, write a post, and then add your link to the Mr. Linky!Sukohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11893742747135555499noreply@blogger.com30tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8011304218892238385.post-87632686069560706142018-12-31T12:00:00.000-08:002019-01-02T14:09:58.693-08:00First Lines 2018<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvdr6C2HsdoQwf9dG5O3GE1euDU5oyVqRaQp_eD7f0zbG4Au8l_DeTWo1FRuZurOExM3TyB91woN7ylQpgQmnutdnf1IDsp3OIcIfdcNp2HPn5_qdTwHqx7Sj6Uk4QroBoCh_BpIdb4Qnu/s1600/First-Lines.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvdr6C2HsdoQwf9dG5O3GE1euDU5oyVqRaQp_eD7f0zbG4Au8l_DeTWo1FRuZurOExM3TyB91woN7ylQpgQmnutdnf1IDsp3OIcIfdcNp2HPn5_qdTwHqx7Sj6Uk4QroBoCh_BpIdb4Qnu/s400/First-Lines.png" /></a></div>
<br />
My 2018 Blog Archive is quite scant. I posted a mere 12 times in 2018, including this post. I've enjoyed reading about books on other book blogs, but writing about the books that I've read has taken a backseat this year. Regardless of my lack of posts, I wanted to continue the tradition and wrap up my year in blogging with a <a href="https://indextrious.blogspot.com/search/label/First%20Lines">First Lines</a> summary post of the past year. This meme is hosted at the end of each year by <a href="https://indextrious.blogspot.com/p/about-me.html">Melwyk</a> from <a href="https://indextrious.blogspot.com/">The Indextrious Reader</a>, a well-written book blog that will entice you to add more books to your reading list. The basic idea of First Lines is "to take the first line of each month's first post over the past year and see what it tells you about your blogging year". I've participated in this meme since 2009, after seeing it on <a href="http://katesutherland.com/">Kate's Book Blog</a>, an incredible book blog that I discovered in my early days of blogging. Without further ado or explanation, here are my First Lines, with some photos from my posts. (If the first line is very short, I've added an additional line.) To read more of a post, simply click on the month.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtOwG7YTYaIdbcWRbIsDyRNpbktvPDDAwrYV041yiJMW1r7LHoGgEejJpxjBv3y7LRMaWYj_NSZ3iuDbL8KyIacdizEC6rLafKccFi4Lk2GzV6oNXMVmhuxnqZOP1Qxjfw9k3L3K1DPgQd/s1600/cooltext310679089939286.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtOwG7YTYaIdbcWRbIsDyRNpbktvPDDAwrYV041yiJMW1r7LHoGgEejJpxjBv3y7LRMaWYj_NSZ3iuDbL8KyIacdizEC6rLafKccFi4Lk2GzV6oNXMVmhuxnqZOP1Qxjfw9k3L3K1DPgQd/s400/cooltext310679089939286.png" /></a></div>
<br />
<a class="post-count-link" href="https://www.sukosnotebook.net/2018/01/daisy-by-canvas-press.html">January</a><br />
<a href="http://www.canvaspress.com/">Canvas Press, Inc.,</a> a company
that specializes in creating custom canvas prints for homes and offices,
offered me a canvas print in exchange for a review on my blog.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZgwdeADjn7XDyLS0HOkxclrehugKMZd1PtT86A5ZD5oPu9thmFAfPCkKSQoXLOaUWyeI8waDKgYoM_4HRPYM1VLALJtBREdNKM-_CKbghck37StukJNRGVVqrM55Y76IqpRgU0I2BQY8M/s1600/DaisyClose-up.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZgwdeADjn7XDyLS0HOkxclrehugKMZd1PtT86A5ZD5oPu9thmFAfPCkKSQoXLOaUWyeI8waDKgYoM_4HRPYM1VLALJtBREdNKM-_CKbghck37StukJNRGVVqrM55Y76IqpRgU0I2BQY8M/s200/DaisyClose-up.jpg" width="150" /></a><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
February<br />
I didn't post.😔 <br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.sukosnotebook.net/2018/03/why-do-i-write-guest-post-by-rajiv.html">March</a><br />
Emerson and Thoreau! I studied their work in school, did you?<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTN5VrEm_MlQxksyO_wGaN8dQ3XVrgX5Z0zt1RJTYsfga_uNLKXcwr_rptINAJPDWecR-NPwX6JuTf25pAchpq39zp7sl4gGzVflV-FUE0Z4fQqVl7QGCjKFgD31gOAwzL7FW_BuAmPg-O/s1600/Rajiv%252BMittal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTN5VrEm_MlQxksyO_wGaN8dQ3XVrgX5Z0zt1RJTYsfga_uNLKXcwr_rptINAJPDWecR-NPwX6JuTf25pAchpq39zp7sl4gGzVflV-FUE0Z4fQqVl7QGCjKFgD31gOAwzL7FW_BuAmPg-O/s400/Rajiv%252BMittal.jpg" /></a><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.sukosnotebook.net/2018/04/how-to-love-empty-air.html">April</a><br />
How will you celebrate? April is National Poetry Month, a time to explore and experience the world of poetry.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr8WsILWIjEf4JjQULdRTI2OPg94BfMHLksg4GL1Kgp0M1S_VvU7h587z5a16dQ4qYDwvSNA2QuYa2GDN5F-IgRDu2RxTlQNx7zOkvEfF31ait3HCI0JFcRM40BXTzvW2vpCRGZKd0E6tj/s1600/HowtoLovetheEmptyAir.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr8WsILWIjEf4JjQULdRTI2OPg94BfMHLksg4GL1Kgp0M1S_VvU7h587z5a16dQ4qYDwvSNA2QuYa2GDN5F-IgRDu2RxTlQNx7zOkvEfF31ait3HCI0JFcRM40BXTzvW2vpCRGZKd0E6tj/s200/HowtoLovetheEmptyAir.jpg" width="133" /></a><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.sukosnotebook.net/2018/05/sass-smarts-and-stilettos.html">May</a><br />
Published in 2017, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/0996058524/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0996058524&linkCode=am2&tag=suksnot-20&linkId=9b7ccdd5007873bf868b4b2beadc5b50" target="_blank"><u>Sass, Smarts, and Stilettos: How Italian Women Make the Ordinary, Extraordinary</u></a> by <a href="http://www.gabriellacontestabile.com/">Gabriella Contestabile</a> is a book that focuses on Italian women.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCyNPo9uLAJ7trlwyIjbjfza7SSAGg3MIzdlFJ95cJ2dj4TNZTM8AL-ACbY4wvOFP-Bc68-ngIy_EucFSEJEy0osY9RvvSdyd_PgEt21feRVrQPydVFWwkgvHcCreYcuF6MeJJPSZvc93I/s1600/SassSmartsandStilettos.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCyNPo9uLAJ7trlwyIjbjfza7SSAGg3MIzdlFJ95cJ2dj4TNZTM8AL-ACbY4wvOFP-Bc68-ngIy_EucFSEJEy0osY9RvvSdyd_PgEt21feRVrQPydVFWwkgvHcCreYcuF6MeJJPSZvc93I/s200/SassSmartsandStilettos.jpg" width="133" /></a></div>
<br />
<a class="toggle" href="https://www.blogger.com/null"><span class="zippy">
</span>
</a>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.sukosnotebook.net/2018/06/pr-for-poets.html">June</a><br />
As a book blogger, I've participated in many online tours with <a href="https://poeticbooktours.wordpress.com/">Poetic Book Tours</a>.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-2IHKKQREQ5AWzTJdO1wtGKQnWVOrplKzYMVFYavUsVw0ZLYKuwwiC3rILLhcucFOdxuhaAOYl3Q-at_BcGKmzF07BHf2cfJBokNFG81-ORTSxUu4IShDk3VxTp9Nq3-pjp5WVGmTFgJ6/s1600/PR%252Bfor%252BPoets.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-2IHKKQREQ5AWzTJdO1wtGKQnWVOrplKzYMVFYavUsVw0ZLYKuwwiC3rILLhcucFOdxuhaAOYl3Q-at_BcGKmzF07BHf2cfJBokNFG81-ORTSxUu4IShDk3VxTp9Nq3-pjp5WVGmTFgJ6/s200/PR%252Bfor%252BPoets.png" width="130" /></a><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
July<br />
I didn't post.😔<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.sukosnotebook.net/2018/08/brahmahatya.html">August</a><br />
Several months ago, I learned about the novel <u><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1522019243/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1522019243&linkCode=as2&tag=suksnot-20&linkId=59136f7bf4d79751517189b08eb1da08" target="_blank">Brahmahatya</a></u> by <a href="https://www.facebook.com/v.rajivkumar/">Rajiv Mittal</a>, published in 2017, on Tracy's wonderful book blog, <a href="https://pettywitter.blogspot.com/2018/02/brahmahatya.html">Pen and Paper</a>.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgednX2HvCGBxMtrnajDwwHD2doS_U3C-lMewyXH_P804hZ9zc8u-rcBQfPayOoU1OldVbb8W7Yqc3FDuYbM1XZjfFddtAeHGemxdy9x2Lfpmj6TkCiRZwabL-baNRAfQ3ZR5rh4hC-3ZVc/s1600/Brahmahatya.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgednX2HvCGBxMtrnajDwwHD2doS_U3C-lMewyXH_P804hZ9zc8u-rcBQfPayOoU1OldVbb8W7Yqc3FDuYbM1XZjfFddtAeHGemxdy9x2Lfpmj6TkCiRZwabL-baNRAfQ3ZR5rh4hC-3ZVc/s400/Brahmahatya.jpg" /></a><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.sukosnotebook.net/2018/09/saturday-snapshot-book-covers.html">September</a><br />
Do you remember making paper covers to protect your school books?<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2XP0Fd7-ZIWe0b67nsXaE3EJ8RphoxOSldengdXMSXyYNBHyI_qUKOUpycrC-VatrHshers_X1afqsZucm91hjIFPydlyFVR7tc1U5F2cyNWGBRRfTuAx2kjS4IkyyMYE9k16uIQGV5bu/s1600/IMG_0531.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2XP0Fd7-ZIWe0b67nsXaE3EJ8RphoxOSldengdXMSXyYNBHyI_qUKOUpycrC-VatrHshers_X1afqsZucm91hjIFPydlyFVR7tc1U5F2cyNWGBRRfTuAx2kjS4IkyyMYE9k16uIQGV5bu/s200/IMG_0531.jpg" width="150" /></a><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.sukosnotebook.net/2018/10/why-i-listen-to-audiobooks.html">October</a><br />
Many of my readers are also listeners, who greatly enjoy audiobooks.<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihHytBn8ElE11OMs2fNwTTDnPtVbOAnVTUSvTdxYKshHkwmFykrf98dt0WMmFntYMPcQ16K69YkP8SFWXnRNjoSOhYSzGh5gkwJF6MQqoZZ0QVcHaz92l-R51T6mdyCKsEx41_2Q5Wn6Eh/s1600/MelissaChan.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihHytBn8ElE11OMs2fNwTTDnPtVbOAnVTUSvTdxYKshHkwmFykrf98dt0WMmFntYMPcQ16K69YkP8SFWXnRNjoSOhYSzGh5gkwJF6MQqoZZ0QVcHaz92l-R51T6mdyCKsEx41_2Q5Wn6Eh/s200/MelissaChan.JPG" width="200" /></a><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.sukosnotebook.net/2018/11/the-evolution-of-small-press-guest-post.html">November</a><br />
Last month, I won the book <u><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B001QOGM88/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B001QOGM88&linkCode=am2&tag=suksnot-20&linkId=aa312d2789cfd1a6e0c07cc0bd3add12" target="_blank">The Tourist Trail</a></u> on Serena's blog, <a href="https://savvyverseandwit.com/">Savvy Verse & Wit</a>.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhge-JbXjSBX0j7rvxsEkZMM5Fcdj0UYR2Q4sW6zwY8AxSo4bPm7AzKB8gUhM6f23_KO-9WoM5xVVe_g0S4o1IUW24VuxnOYwuW2ofULkbXRTIuS4NSCpQ_CGHjfmy5lM9xgMsrKKTDG-SF/s1600/midge_200.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhge-JbXjSBX0j7rvxsEkZMM5Fcdj0UYR2Q4sW6zwY8AxSo4bPm7AzKB8gUhM6f23_KO-9WoM5xVVe_g0S4o1IUW24VuxnOYwuW2ofULkbXRTIuS4NSCpQ_CGHjfmy5lM9xgMsrKKTDG-SF/s200/midge_200.jpg" width="175" /></a><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.sukosnotebook.net/2018/12/first-lines-2018.html">December</a> (this post!)<br />
My 2018 Blog Archive is quite scant. <br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHabnKKLyHJQ6DRUqWPTYMFq3xk9sviJAZZpJwMTYb2TPXaW9S7CXz0lOtHcLklBF1t78eIF03mhBZRA8CgislF4AnNPQnT4rphaERkZtEYo6p2AxgQ68LSEPXEQ3o1ycCaYOhkS2jnMaq/s1600/First-Lines.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="66" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHabnKKLyHJQ6DRUqWPTYMFq3xk9sviJAZZpJwMTYb2TPXaW9S7CXz0lOtHcLklBF1t78eIF03mhBZRA8CgislF4AnNPQnT4rphaERkZtEYo6p2AxgQ68LSEPXEQ3o1ycCaYOhkS2jnMaq/s200/First-Lines.png" width="200" /></a><br />
<br />
As illustrated here, I started 2018 with a beautiful print from Canvas Press, featured exclusive guest posts and a few book reviews, and showcased a book related craft, during the rest of the year. What's not shown here is that I continue to post book giveaways on my blog, to win books, to receive complimentary books from authors, agents, and publishers, and to relish my "private" reading (without posting). Although I did not post frequently, I genuinely enjoyed the posting that I did do over the past year, and the lovely comments that followed. If you'd like to create a year-in-review summary of your own, please visit The Indextrious Reader's special end of the year meme, <a href="https://indextrious.blogspot.com/2018/12/year-in-review-2018-in-first-lines.html">First Lines</a>.<br />
<br />
As always, your comments are welcomed. Thank you for reading, and happy New Year! <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJwxIu0IDsXXNX4qSKOPFa85jTlzmjZuk_7ZXTHoZFKBw9ZD-sOJgkMb4g834aGyfrm-HjTN-ZZsbY73E4HoU6lmzBJ0XwO39bfn1GvBgzwxUwoKBVBri6IWrd9W20xMSgfanCJBRGLvx8/s1600/cooltext310679318606915.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="87" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJwxIu0IDsXXNX4qSKOPFa85jTlzmjZuk_7ZXTHoZFKBw9ZD-sOJgkMb4g834aGyfrm-HjTN-ZZsbY73E4HoU6lmzBJ0XwO39bfn1GvBgzwxUwoKBVBri6IWrd9W20xMSgfanCJBRGLvx8/s320/cooltext310679318606915.png" width="320" /></a></div>
Sukohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11893742747135555499noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8011304218892238385.post-39775127973814775622018-11-24T22:10:00.003-08:002018-11-27T11:59:33.276-08:00The Evolution of a Small Press: A Guest Post by Midge RaymondLast month, I won the book <u><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B001QOGM88/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B001QOGM88&linkCode=am2&tag=suksnot-20&linkId=aa312d2789cfd1a6e0c07cc0bd3add12" target="_blank">The Tourist Trail</a></u> on Serena's blog, <a href="https://savvyverseandwit.com/">Savvy Verse & Wit</a>. After Midge Raymond, a co-founder and editor of <a href="https://www.ashlandcreekpress.com/">Ashland Creek Press</a>, a vegan-owned boutique publisher in Ashland, Oregon, mailed the book to me, I invited her to write a guest post about Ashland Creek Press (ACP). One of my daughters is vegan, and I wanted to learn more about ACP in a general sense, too. I think my readers will truly enjoy this exclusive guest post! <br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #6fa8dc;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><b>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</b></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4YSzu5IBj2q4dOaDM_TbU7MmONiTyUc-Han9q87hScTj9LW-k_-mf9QB99VF1nN0dapoFdhD8UJkRNgJYOGrnatX7veqCZgvaMh2kIBwT2ywbh45XO5hkpcbqkEmHG9zRZmXWbFcaDYCt/s1600/midge_200.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4YSzu5IBj2q4dOaDM_TbU7MmONiTyUc-Han9q87hScTj9LW-k_-mf9QB99VF1nN0dapoFdhD8UJkRNgJYOGrnatX7veqCZgvaMh2kIBwT2ywbh45XO5hkpcbqkEmHG9zRZmXWbFcaDYCt/s400/midge_200.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhraX-lUViLLISHtVeg_vkaapL-m2obRg8WEIdKSwkr77lML831CG2_5NXT16yGEG2h2ymfJ0xpiDItLP7khFkw-oZskxfA9x5pgA41SAD3Pf6UPVZ85-nJGw-NZCyHTU0co3W9IPW46vjk/s1600/touristtrail_160.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhraX-lUViLLISHtVeg_vkaapL-m2obRg8WEIdKSwkr77lML831CG2_5NXT16yGEG2h2ymfJ0xpiDItLP7khFkw-oZskxfA9x5pgA41SAD3Pf6UPVZ85-nJGw-NZCyHTU0co3W9IPW46vjk/s200/touristtrail_160.jpg" width="131" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3Ayyv-ZhtvFN01_RO1NoXAQ9w5y3FB98ydJ5cS40lOOeu9RT50lAelBVveXZEaM4hPlSSs9vcIibZyLueyLxacU6CXMw6MblUKxelz0Di_9545xLqvH2qsgdlcfRkAcNhIp7VinHokPIS/s1600/MyLast+Continent.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3Ayyv-ZhtvFN01_RO1NoXAQ9w5y3FB98ydJ5cS40lOOeu9RT50lAelBVveXZEaM4hPlSSs9vcIibZyLueyLxacU6CXMw6MblUKxelz0Di_9545xLqvH2qsgdlcfRkAcNhIp7VinHokPIS/s200/MyLast+Continent.jpg" width="132" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="color: #073763;">This spring, <a href="http://www.ashlandcreekpress.com/">Ashland Creek Press</a> will celebrate its 8th birthday. John Yunker and I founded ACP in the spring of 2011 when, in the years following the financial crisis, we were seeing many good books go out of print--and some books not finding homes at all. One of those books was John’s novel <u>The Tourist Trail</u>, which was represented by a literary agent who was told by publishers time and again that they didn’t know where the book would “fit in the marketplace". This was because there wasn’t--and in fact still isn’t--a designated place for environmental and animal-themed literature in the world of Big Five publishers.</span><br />
<span style="color: #073763;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #073763;">There are, of course, environmental books published by the Big Five houses--many of Barbara Kingsolver’s wonderful books, for example, and my own novel, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B017I25CL4/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B017I25CL4&linkCode=am2&tag=suksnot-20&linkId=cf9e49534566bbf84517b025a84b348b" target="_blank"><u>My Last Continent</u></a>, published by Scribner, an imprint of Simon & Schuster. But in early 2011, there weren’t any publishers we could find that focused on environmental works. So, we decided to start one.</span><br />
<span style="color: #073763;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #073763;">We began by publishing John’s novel, and then put out a call for submissions for environmental and multicultural manuscripts. Within two years, we published a young adult trilogy (The Lithia Trilogy), an eco-mystery, a short story collection, and three literary novels focused on other cultures, the environment, and endangered species. Ashland Creek Press books have received rave media reviews as well as national and international prizes--and these are books that may not have been published if ACP didn’t exist. We are thrilled to have had the privilege of bringing them into the world.</span><br />
<span style="color: #073763;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #073763;">In the years since then, we continue to publish one to three books a year, and we’ve also moved beyond books to offer other resources for both readers and writers in this genre. In 2013, we created EcoLit Books, an online forum featuring book reviews on any books with environmental themes, as well as listing opportunities for environmental writers, from classes to literary magazines. In 2014, we decided there should be a prize for environmental writing, and the Siskiyou Prize for New Environmental Literature was born. We also publish several anthologies--the Among Animals series is short fiction focused on animals; Writing for Animals is a collection of articles aimed to help authors write about animals thoughtfully and compassionately. And we also decided to create something else we wanted but couldn’t find in the world: vintage typewriter notecards and T-shirts for writers.</span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF2oCG_Gl0UxfxO8MNMnUs-ryNOo1tOMQMZGbmQS30UZUpDgfcu5eQ2bDgtKUg-IWuMCwADtFl_50EGyGEcJTV-zzyl8wL6OZl31FE4ghBm7CPXiNKhxD8P6jcVRNzt_Ov-h_UzHg7vgNB/s1600/GM+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF2oCG_Gl0UxfxO8MNMnUs-ryNOo1tOMQMZGbmQS30UZUpDgfcu5eQ2bDgtKUg-IWuMCwADtFl_50EGyGEcJTV-zzyl8wL6OZl31FE4ghBm7CPXiNKhxD8P6jcVRNzt_Ov-h_UzHg7vgNB/s320/GM+%25281%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Theo (1999-2017): ACP General Manager</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span style="color: #073763;">As animal lovers, of course, we do not discriminate when hiring, which is why our first--and last--General Manager was feline. As you can see in these photos, Theo was passionate about books and helping run the press; he was always in the middle of things. When he passed away at the age of 18, we found him impossible to replace, and the position of General Manager remains open in his memory. We did, however, hire (i.e., adopt) three new rescue cats: Teddy, Harlan, and Gideon. Their roles are as yet undefined; so far they prefer playing and hanging out, and they are often seen napping on the job.</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWJJYK-emoNjVGsXIecLlSnSe0jSPdrTTAGnCxOdod-lzaxpTpLvQF3KsPO3dsrpovQ7r0-0d8u-56nsepZp5VJpdp8t1W7GrXsiHFz_H92SYREk677Kwy2bvOEisYJHmoulOwssEI2mOB/s1600/Theo+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWJJYK-emoNjVGsXIecLlSnSe0jSPdrTTAGnCxOdod-lzaxpTpLvQF3KsPO3dsrpovQ7r0-0d8u-56nsepZp5VJpdp8t1W7GrXsiHFz_H92SYREk677Kwy2bvOEisYJHmoulOwssEI2mOB/s320/Theo+%25281%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Theo in the office</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzx06EZN79iGaJQTklt_V-QAphsGHWzzf09uv-9BLG7ri-IdnLtuQcbf1lRNU93kjLON9iRkQ8ObArQakBaKR26mxr9GuKrmy_pv99Ilp47ohMzHFngiiaylf975BgJi7PRNAQkr_FJfTl/s1600/Theo1jpg+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzx06EZN79iGaJQTklt_V-QAphsGHWzzf09uv-9BLG7ri-IdnLtuQcbf1lRNU93kjLON9iRkQ8ObArQakBaKR26mxr9GuKrmy_pv99Ilp47ohMzHFngiiaylf975BgJi7PRNAQkr_FJfTl/s320/Theo1jpg+%25281%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Theo helping with editing</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdfj1DJUMK9As4YgRZY0DcXcr_E4ElnFO5tQZvkv0cBp5kdVcmnZNAa2pEMy56X3Lu5qNbSFh9tHBkrt6aUKA7WJ5h0BKi2gRRpvhXpCEFZCRA5MolvfoWZrpOyQQbgRA0TJK7YxIsibKD/s1600/The+Boys%2521+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdfj1DJUMK9As4YgRZY0DcXcr_E4ElnFO5tQZvkv0cBp5kdVcmnZNAa2pEMy56X3Lu5qNbSFh9tHBkrt6aUKA7WJ5h0BKi2gRRpvhXpCEFZCRA5MolvfoWZrpOyQQbgRA0TJK7YxIsibKD/s320/The+Boys%2521+%25281%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Boys! Teddy, Harlan, and Gideon</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span style="color: #073763;">As we continue on into our 9th year, our mission remains the same: to publish good stories--whether a novel about a zookeeper’s love for an endangered Komodo dragon, or a nonfiction narrative about the rarest bears on earth, who live just outside of Rome. While we are glad that ACP’s titles resonate with environmentally aware readers, as well as professors of literature and animal studies, our books are for any and every reader.</span><br />
<span style="color: #073763;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #073763;">And we’d love for you to learn more by sampling our books! Or, perhaps you’d like to check out our notecards or a T-shirt instead. Whatever you prefer, we’re offering Suko’s Notebook readers 20% off your next purchase. Simply enter the coupon code SUKO20 when you visit our <a href="https://ecolitbooks.com/shop/">EcoLit Books online store</a> (coupon code good until the end of 2018).</span><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #6fa8dc;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><b>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</b></span></span></div>
<br />
Thank you for this delightful guest post, Midge, and for offering my readers a special discount code! It was interesting to learn about how Ashland Creek Press came to be, and about how it has developed over the years. It looks as if Theo relished his position as general manager. I haven't read <u>The Tourist Trail</u> yet, but I hope to soon. <br />
<u><br /></u>
Thanks for reading! Your comments are welcomed. <u><br /></u>Sukohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11893742747135555499noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8011304218892238385.post-46881720999863037732018-10-06T13:45:00.000-07:002018-10-06T15:19:42.731-07:00Why I Listen to AudiobooksMany of my readers are also listeners, who greatly enjoy audiobooks. Although I do like to listen to audiobooks as well, I don't listen to as many as some of my readers and fellow book bloggers. When I do listen to them, I mostly listen to brief segments in my car during my short commutes around town. My guest today, Melissa Chan, owner of <a href="https://literarybookgifts.com/">Literary Book Gifts</a>, is an avid listener, and she eloquently describes why she listens to audiobooks in this exclusive guest post. <br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #cc0000;"> </span><b><span style="color: #cc0000;">~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ </span></b></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2dC60YCXkbDzngIqmITkg5uOD52T70pedYD2X6LdjumsGtNtoHD9dfwM2_q5VE2l7qGjAdqQmlZf13innNNBnzjfMErWNkSJwcRaD5SnJ9A1a_w-oWVmsYOpD944qxbqJMgjapIeR1m-V/s1600/MelissaChan.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2dC60YCXkbDzngIqmITkg5uOD52T70pedYD2X6LdjumsGtNtoHD9dfwM2_q5VE2l7qGjAdqQmlZf13innNNBnzjfMErWNkSJwcRaD5SnJ9A1a_w-oWVmsYOpD944qxbqJMgjapIeR1m-V/s320/MelissaChan.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #660000;"><b>Why I Listen to Audiobooks: A Guest Post by Melissa Chan</b></span> </div>
<br />
<span style="color: #660000;">It is no secret. I love listening to audiobooks. If you see me with headphones on, I'm probably
not listening to music, but in some faraway land listening to a story. From a very young age I
discovered a love for audiobooks and have not stopped since. From Kurt Vonnegut's
<u>Slaughterhouse-Five</u>, to Sylvia Plath's <u>The Bell Jar</u>, I've experienced some of my favorite novels
not by reading or watching them on the screen, but through sound, streaming through my
headphones directly into my ears.</span><br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #660000;">There are many benefits to listening, over reading paperbacks, hardcovers, or eBooks. For
one I sometimes do chores such as cooking or gardening. And I've often fallen asleep to the
calming tones of my favorite narrator. I'll have to rewind a few chapters sometimes, but there
really is no other way to read in the dark. On summer days, I bike through parks, safely of
course, all the while in the middle of a story. I even have fond memories of listening to books
during family road trips. While driving through windy canyon roads in and out of national parks,
we were also on adventures with Bilbo Baggins, as J. R. R. Tolkien's <u>The Hobbit</u> came through
the dashboard speakers of the minivan.</span><br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #660000;">Audio recordings of books have come a long way since then. From difficult to manage
cassettes, to unfortunately scratched CDs, the preferred listening method of books is now as
digital files directly on one's smartphone. I finally decided to to upgrade my beloved click and
spin wheel iPod to a smartphone for the library apps that let you use your library card to check
out and stream audiobooks. Technology has come a long way.</span><br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #660000;">I love audiobooks for not only the story, but often the narrator. A bad narrator can make an
amazing novel unreadable, but an amazing narrator can't make a bad novel any better. Not
every narrator is fit for every story. And I appreciate and value the work of all voice narrators. I
believe, like many mediums, that voice narration is an art. One of my favorite narrators is
Christopher Hurt, who has read to me so many of my favorite books including Walker Percy's
<u>The Moviegoer</u>.</span><br />
<span style="color: #0c343d;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #660000;">Is audio book listening the same as reading? I certainly have had my fair share of criticisms on
the subject. I don't believe one is superior to the other. However, I would like to make a note that
the sharing of stories, whether over the campfire or the dinner table existed long before the
written word. I think it really all comes down to the quality of what you are listening to.</span><br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #660000;">But the main reason I listen to audiobooks is because I love doing so. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #660000;">Since I love audiobooks so much, I did not want audiobook readers to be without a unique design for themselves. The headphone design (shown below) is vintage but also retro in style. It is perfect for anyone who enjoys audiobooks, and it is for that reason that it is one of my favorite designs in the collection.</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtBmcOaDkUJY-J3p_0NHsZOtgp7y-RNHX-BGLkjy07-WVdJYzBKgHWrYJOCC7jf05JFqnTa_eyZUDLOK1LJLmKiPj5i84Mhax8EBjgi9J6A88qRqNQ7CTGylOhkorXON8kXtfSZH1o9B1J/s1600/ffa9572861b216a3f05f7d9ae8b6a392_1024x1024%25402x.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtBmcOaDkUJY-J3p_0NHsZOtgp7y-RNHX-BGLkjy07-WVdJYzBKgHWrYJOCC7jf05JFqnTa_eyZUDLOK1LJLmKiPj5i84Mhax8EBjgi9J6A88qRqNQ7CTGylOhkorXON8kXtfSZH1o9B1J/s200/ffa9572861b216a3f05f7d9ae8b6a392_1024x1024%25402x.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tote bag</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1Ps689PcCY_tSnDUGPpR97sIPXewLpAMxbw07_oWoDt-NsoxkHVmQveW8MfypAOlhZkkF5EUkNlShP8MlzEmIGxihIFX9RMjigZP_hHoekUgrfg4aEXeMLNxW7aL7x1iH09-PhOO811A_/s1600/Women%2527s+Vintage+Headphone+T-shirt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1Ps689PcCY_tSnDUGPpR97sIPXewLpAMxbw07_oWoDt-NsoxkHVmQveW8MfypAOlhZkkF5EUkNlShP8MlzEmIGxihIFX9RMjigZP_hHoekUgrfg4aEXeMLNxW7aL7x1iH09-PhOO811A_/s200/Women%2527s+Vintage+Headphone+T-shirt.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8Fm3b9FhgGly92HFi0h4RWloo4Q6QvUVwReFwS-_INeabKHKv_ebzED_x5WO3XAz3dNAs7sLN1b0d4pVUHsmjld6SYeZA42mYZcOaRX0eY0deIJ-3WO7ZfONPwgIp89KLasoJmcXGJvxT/s1600/Men%2527s+Vintage+Headphone+T-shirt.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8Fm3b9FhgGly92HFi0h4RWloo4Q6QvUVwReFwS-_INeabKHKv_ebzED_x5WO3XAz3dNAs7sLN1b0d4pVUHsmjld6SYeZA42mYZcOaRX0eY0deIJ-3WO7ZfONPwgIp89KLasoJmcXGJvxT/s200/Men%2527s+Vintage+Headphone+T-shirt.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Women's and Men's T-shirts</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span style="color: #660000;">Do you listen to audiobooks? Share your favorites below!</span><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="color: #cc0000;">~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</span></b> </div>
<br />
Melissa, thank you for your wonderful guest post, which has inspired me to choose a new audiobook for my car rides. I love the tote
bag. It would be an adorable way to carry around audiobooks and related
equipment--or really anything else! The T-shirt is cute, and is
available in several colors, for women and men. Melissa is offering my readers a generous 20% discount on all items from <a href="https://literarybookgifts.com/">Literary Book Gifts</a> with the promo code: SUKOSNOTEBOOK20. On a different note, I think that it would be fun to narrate
audiobooks. I'm sure audiobook narration is a lot of work (right, Mr. Hurt?), but it also
seems like it would be enjoyable to act out a book for others to listen
to (thinks the dormant voice actor in me). <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjrEq3SdtIvCIFnlrJkWJNzTZfjfJdSyDIuhmP_RXqjOPO3Nrb-W5fA7W4GdUvcZ8_z7Y0sK1h0ldi8hvPIUsHZc1PPU-bzfdHTPHJhpyqKHdCsSUbhEy_wEn2MpB9lqc05DdZ-8DAXae2/s1600/literary-book-gifts-gifts-for-book-lovers.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjrEq3SdtIvCIFnlrJkWJNzTZfjfJdSyDIuhmP_RXqjOPO3Nrb-W5fA7W4GdUvcZ8_z7Y0sK1h0ldi8hvPIUsHZc1PPU-bzfdHTPHJhpyqKHdCsSUbhEy_wEn2MpB9lqc05DdZ-8DAXae2/s200/literary-book-gifts-gifts-for-book-lovers.png" width="200" /></a></div>
<br />
Many thanks for reading! Please leave a comment and share your thoughts about audiobooks.Sukohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11893742747135555499noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8011304218892238385.post-27112215717983065572018-09-15T12:00:00.000-07:002018-09-15T13:47:28.275-07:00Saturday Snapshot - Book Covers<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgNKuFVCGldBlnzfl0XZkNHcC1cY30bpUc_qvxelaNsIMZC_L02mgEIRRAl2zOWZi7Te3hc9NEw7NLuLtosVplVhPIfPVI1VxUxCj5siaKTV3BOaVvWR50FHRwOndksg4N2nvdphrsr2Xe/s1600/Bookcovers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgNKuFVCGldBlnzfl0XZkNHcC1cY30bpUc_qvxelaNsIMZC_L02mgEIRRAl2zOWZi7Te3hc9NEw7NLuLtosVplVhPIfPVI1VxUxCj5siaKTV3BOaVvWR50FHRwOndksg4N2nvdphrsr2Xe/s200/Bookcovers.jpg" width="150" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1pOcTPLFavnxK7qtLbYCV9mdNVuZ7PqThR1CnHNZ9UPcGQvqUAbXsUosE1yW7b0tSy8kNtHtP1NEqNY3NMz3J-Fq3-zMCyo6FQ7Mk8FswCgvwSXJJrqSl6pMftMAHockaJ2VqxR2p5Gb6/s1600/IMG_0514.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1pOcTPLFavnxK7qtLbYCV9mdNVuZ7PqThR1CnHNZ9UPcGQvqUAbXsUosE1yW7b0tSy8kNtHtP1NEqNY3NMz3J-Fq3-zMCyo6FQ7Mk8FswCgvwSXJJrqSl6pMftMAHockaJ2VqxR2p5Gb6/s200/IMG_0514.jpg" width="150" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt7SVSLzpvSUUz_S2UgyLyPv58uVwXToya5Q9Eu6yntac5qxWrTeX67exXqujhFniGpeqpffjpzsgHJq8Z6iNG62Dg-gzHB4hxmTzxXBZoWC59_cfSqRkpQ6qhZJLXwHm2wHQuCOKLCQMI/s1600/IMG_0531.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt7SVSLzpvSUUz_S2UgyLyPv58uVwXToya5Q9Eu6yntac5qxWrTeX67exXqujhFniGpeqpffjpzsgHJq8Z6iNG62Dg-gzHB4hxmTzxXBZoWC59_cfSqRkpQ6qhZJLXwHm2wHQuCOKLCQMI/s200/IMG_0531.jpg" width="150" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8ZcuovWeKXkfsQaqJDPYJeghG27tYvk080IIg36zimKi1op2I_9q3LpZoLGAgotw6oRtoG1fq8CaXAe9JhZu9Uc5_XMl3scfjqTGxlvXpMElTYyuR-oyg7tPKsqk6uFb_zxcLvHRtWRga/s1600/IMG_0523.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8ZcuovWeKXkfsQaqJDPYJeghG27tYvk080IIg36zimKi1op2I_9q3LpZoLGAgotw6oRtoG1fq8CaXAe9JhZu9Uc5_XMl3scfjqTGxlvXpMElTYyuR-oyg7tPKsqk6uFb_zxcLvHRtWRga/s200/IMG_0523.jpg" width="150" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Do you remember making paper covers to protect your school books? One weekend afternoon earlier this summer, I had fun fashioning book covers for some of my older, well-worn books. I used lovely paper I had on hand in the closet, including some vibrant animal prints from the <a href="https://www.worldwildlife.org/">World Wildlife Fund</a>. The turtle patterned paper covers a book about red-eared sliders, while the owl patterned paper covers a dictionary in need of some TLC. It was an enjoyable way to spend some time. (Click on photos to make them larger.)<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: purple;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">********************</span></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1IOzEKwa5IV4IO15k9kpRbdr5RqVqF_wDrYt4plo_65LEURKoSWdsA84XbEaQUPd6Hw7bVlrXQXMx56lM5c21DOKL7gAxaiH3dB1O4WsH8RQ5E00HmtNsel4MCtVC38qFraO_8G33NkHe/s1600/SaturdaySnapshots-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1IOzEKwa5IV4IO15k9kpRbdr5RqVqF_wDrYt4plo_65LEURKoSWdsA84XbEaQUPd6Hw7bVlrXQXMx56lM5c21DOKL7gAxaiH3dB1O4WsH8RQ5E00HmtNsel4MCtVC38qFraO_8G33NkHe/s200/SaturdaySnapshots-1.jpg" width="198" /></a></div>
<br />
Many thanks to <a href="http://www.westmetromommyreads.com/">West Metro Mommy</a> for hosting <a href="http://www.westmetromommyreads.com/2018/09/saturday-snapshot-september-15.html">Saturday Snapshot</a>! Sukohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11893742747135555499noreply@blogger.com25tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8011304218892238385.post-72475341354938105452018-08-04T22:00:00.000-07:002018-08-05T18:27:36.585-07:00Brahmahatya<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnhAH7TlRjKxj9_ubZOEPB_PR9SgSy5dF6Vyc8zitcMGXfoSgaOwJvk2LljdZqX5smotaEJ4USlQ3e6a3OkpvYFa83R0FTZXibp_h9ej-gm9cBO10lqEZIKm9Ng8IzCpBeiP3Q4c6q0R1e/s1600/Brahmahatya.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="152" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnhAH7TlRjKxj9_ubZOEPB_PR9SgSy5dF6Vyc8zitcMGXfoSgaOwJvk2LljdZqX5smotaEJ4USlQ3e6a3OkpvYFa83R0FTZXibp_h9ej-gm9cBO10lqEZIKm9Ng8IzCpBeiP3Q4c6q0R1e/s320/Brahmahatya.jpg" width="243" /></a></div>
Several months ago, I learned about the novel <u><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1522019243/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1522019243&linkCode=as2&tag=suksnot-20&linkId=59136f7bf4d79751517189b08eb1da08" target="_blank">Brahmahatya</a></u> by <a href="https://www.facebook.com/v.rajivkumar/">Rajiv Mittal</a>, published in 2017, on Tracy's wonderful book blog, <a href="https://pettywitter.blogspot.com/2018/02/brahmahatya.html">Pen and Paper</a>. Her post quickly led to my interest in reading this book, and a result, the author sent me a copy of his book. In March, I featured a <a href="https://www.sukosnotebook.net/2018/03/why-do-i-write-guest-post-by-rajiv.html">guest post</a> about writing by author Rajiv Mittal. It took me longer than anticipated to read this story, but I finished it recently. Without further adieu, here are some of my thoughts about this book, <u>Brahmahtya</u>, which the author calls a <i>shraddhanajali </i>(homage) to his father. <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"As soon as he stepped outside of the hospital confines, his senses were
assaulted from all directions: the sights, sounds, smells and feel of
India."<br />
~ <u>Brahmahtya, </u>Rajiv Mittal </blockquote>
<br />
Set mainly in India, Brahmahtya is a story about Ravi Narasimhan, a forty-year-old bachelor who lives and works in Dubai. He cares deeply about his elderly father, Srinivasan Narasimhan, and calls him twice a week to check up on him. Even though their conversations are kept short by his father, Ravi knows that his father looks forward to these regular calls. One day, Ravi receives a call from India and learns that his father has fallen. Ravi flies to India to visit his father in the hospital. It looks as if his father will soon recover, so Ravi arranges for attendants to help his father after he leaves the hospital, and returns to Dubai. However, Ravi receives a call from India on his first day back to the office. His father has had a stroke.<br />
<br />
Ravi returns to India and tries desperately to get his father admitted to Govindarajan Memorial Residency, or GMR, because it was recommended to him by Dr. Hariharan at the hospital as a place that provides elderly people with dignity and care, and also because it's near to a hospital if residents need any sort of medical treatment. Ravi meets with Bhavna Ramesh, Operations-In-Charge, who is competent and attractive. She realizes that Ravi's father, who everyone calls Naru Sir, had been her schoolteacher, and she's eager to see him again. Bhavna tells Ravi that Dr. Krishnamachari Iyengar, a Brahmin doctor at GMR called Dr. Chari, does not possess the qualities of a
Brahmin, but that he's rigid and lacks
compassion. Bhavna tries to help Ravi by providing instructions about how his father should arrive at GMR. Unfortunately, things do not go well in that regard, and Dr. Chari refuses to admit Naru Sir to GMR, though Ravi pleads with him to do so. So Naru Sir is instead placed in a depressing old age home called Blessings, which Ravi hopes will be a temporary measure. Sadly, Naru Sir dies. When Ravi eventually goes back to his office in Dubai, he's surprised to see a letter of acceptance from GMR for his late father. I will not reveal much more about the plot because I want to avoid spoilers. <br />
<br />
I'm still thinking about this book, and expect to remember it for a long time (although I will likely reread it, soon). It's a skillfully written story about the relationship between Ravi and his father, which makes you think about how we should care for the elderly. Due to health issues, my own father spent the last few years of his life at a home for the aged on the east coast. <u>Brahmahatya</u> is an intensely emotional story in which characters experience and express a variety of emotions: guilt, grief, hate, peace, hope, and love. The details in the story are rich, and present many of the unique smells (sandalwood), sounds (tinkling of a prayer bell) and tastes (South-Indian filter coffee) of India. (Some are much less pleasant.) The characters, Ravi, Naru Sir, Bhavna, Laxmi, Dr. Chari, Sridhar, and others, are brought to life by the author's vivid word portraits. As a reader I was especially sympathetic toward Ravi and Bhavna, the main characters. I was invested in the story and wanted to know how things would turn out for the characters I cared most about (will there be a sequel?). Bhavna raises her twelve-year-old daughter, Laxmi, who has cerebral palsy, by herself, as her husband could not bear having a disabled, "imperfect" child. <br />
<br />
<u>Brahmahtya</u> is touching and heartbreaking at times. The book includes ancient Hindu scriptures and stories in the story, as characters grapple with various challenges. Like Tracy from Pen and Paper, I'm also not familiar with these scriptures, but they add an authentic and religious or spiritual dimension to the story; I don't think my lack of familiarity detracted too much from my understanding of the story. <u>Brahmahtya</u> held my attention at all times, and I relished reading it. Many thanks to Rajiv Mittal for sending me a complimentary copy of this touching and memorable novel.<br />
<br />
Thanks for reading! Your comments are welcomed. Sukohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11893742747135555499noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8011304218892238385.post-16711679054046016122018-06-25T00:00:00.000-07:002018-06-25T10:38:21.244-07:00PR for Poets<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwSWPqlTeCfOxeMJf1c_Gxiz_jR41HnUBA-Dk-w_E_gRPkhDaEnGkeQPX2XT6ZMQcXPfvVHMtiJGg1SKXEvLBnMi7EOgHWhzipA1E-OSI4-zhh3uNZNTxZXUx0rqn66LWj_OFXGbBwr_B4/s1600/PR+for+Poets.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="278" data-original-width="181" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwSWPqlTeCfOxeMJf1c_Gxiz_jR41HnUBA-Dk-w_E_gRPkhDaEnGkeQPX2XT6ZMQcXPfvVHMtiJGg1SKXEvLBnMi7EOgHWhzipA1E-OSI4-zhh3uNZNTxZXUx0rqn66LWj_OFXGbBwr_B4/s1600/PR+for+Poets.png" /></a></div>
As a book blogger, I've participated in many online tours with <a href="https://poeticbooktours.wordpress.com/">Poetic Book Tours</a>. It's been a joy for me to read, think about, and write
about poetry. In the past, I've shied away from reading poetry, as I
thought it would be too difficult to decipher. Fortunately, modern poetry is a lot
more accessible! Additionally, I've relished two collections of poetry by <a href="http://webbish6.com/">Jeannine Hall Gailey</a>, <u><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/1936419424/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1936419424&linkCode=am2&tag=suksnot-20&linkId=5P2C2FM24GBGQXNX">The Robot Scientist's Daughter</a></u> (2015) and <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/0913785768/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0913785768&linkCode=am2&tag=suksnot-20&linkId=9c7f8274750e9d3ba9441194f339291d"><u>Field Guide to the End of the World</u></a> (2016), so I jumped at the chance
to read this new guidebook, even though I'm not a poet who hopes to publish a book of poems, and then take on the daunting task of marketing it. <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Published in 2018, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/1948767007/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1948767007&linkCode=am2&tag=suksnot-20&linkId=b497f86a504b8327abd7c2cf91f94432" target="_blank"><u>PR for Poets: A Guidebook to Publicity and Marketing</u></a> by poet Jeannine Hall Gailey is packed with information and tips that will help poets market their work. Gone are the days of reclusive poets clad in somber clothing, who never socialize and wait passively for their work to be discovered. In this new age there are numerous ways that poets can reach and connect with readers, and successfully promote their own work. Although Gailey says that "poetry book promotion is a marathon, not a sprint", there's a wealth of valuable information in this book that will facilitate the process.<br />
<br />
This guidebook is well-organized, and the chapter titles in the Table of Contents will help poets find and employ the information they seek quickly. Discussion about using social media occurs throughout this book, and it even has its own chapter, <i>Chapter 12: Social Media and Blogs</i>. I enjoyed reading Gailey "take" on social media platforms, and how to use them effectively.<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"Participating in some variety of social media will allow you to
connect with readers you might not reach in other ways. It also allows
you to connect with readers in other parts of the country and around the
world, something that was previously impossible without travel."<br />
~ Jeannine Hall Gailey, <u>PR for Poets</u></blockquote>
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmP0YZmE4mJgq_OvMmQBU6XynCvz7FyvUDPaenfgjPMjUcjT-_8P20RD4uNTThKIoVUgjga6SBxMmmAJl1pG1_WXtu3jCR9gR8CsOkcsYAc7h7tWzLGe6FXhxlBOD2ubLtkRBm3WnN7iN1/s1600/Jeannine+Hall+Gailey.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmP0YZmE4mJgq_OvMmQBU6XynCvz7FyvUDPaenfgjPMjUcjT-_8P20RD4uNTThKIoVUgjga6SBxMmmAJl1pG1_WXtu3jCR9gR8CsOkcsYAc7h7tWzLGe6FXhxlBOD2ubLtkRBm3WnN7iN1/s400/Jeannine+Hall+Gailey.jpg" /></a>Gailey herself has a <a href="http://webbish6.com/">charming blog</a>, comprised of personal posts and photos. Over the past several years, I've definitely noticed more authors on social media sites such as blogs and Facebook (I've become online friends with many), as well as on other platforms. It almost seems like a necessity or requirement for authors today. The world of books, including poetry books, has become more social, due to social media. (It feels kind of strange to call authors and others in the book world by their last names in my blog posts, as things are so much less formal now.) Of course, you don't want to spend too much time online, but Gailey recommends using more than one social media platform to reach potential readers and generate interest in your book(s). She provides useful information about the various social media outlets available, such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Goodreads and LibraryThing, Instagram, Tumblr, and websites and blogs. <br />
<br />
<u>PR for Poets</u> includes advice from poetry publishers, and from those who work in poetry marketing. It features a couple of interviews with publishers, as well as a terrific, informative interview with poet and blogger Serena M. Agusto-Cox, the owner of <a href="https://poeticbooktours.wordpress.com/">Poetic Book Tours</a>, an online virtual book tour marketing firm for authors of poetry, as well as some fiction and non-fiction. Agusto-Cox says that "online book tours are less costly and time consuming for the authors--definite benefits for authors who also have full time work--online tours allow them to reach a wider audience, and through tailored packages, they can reach target groups". She also says that "poets can reach poetry readers--those who already read poetry--while at the same time, expose new readers to poetry".<br />
<br />
One of the main points of the book is that poets should not be too shy about promoting their books, on social media and in other ways. Gailey tells poets to celebrate the release of their books, in a lighthearted fashion, with readings and parties and swag. After all the hard work, it's time to play, and share your work with others.<i> Work hard, play hard!</i> In other words, after all of the long, difficult, solitary hours of writing and editing, freely enjoy the social aspects of book marketing. Gailey says to call your book launch a party, because it should be a festive and fun event for all. The poet offers many other excellent suggestions as well, based on her own experiences, including giving away swag to readers, such as postcards and bookmarks. It's a pleasure to get nice swag, and I received the postcards pictured below from her, along with her books; they are "keepers".<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6YgDiZFsOOzXAYkXjSxus2uscre9eog3v7cIsyRCG1i36mKdRVJwaCLC1c3QWMC8G6sdU7upBKV00eF-yK-AY8VbA3Btkt7_YDj-vemD8wxQiUgcFp0GMqOdX9VyQJdm3W1KMywEbfeUG/s1600/Books+and+Swag.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6YgDiZFsOOzXAYkXjSxus2uscre9eog3v7cIsyRCG1i36mKdRVJwaCLC1c3QWMC8G6sdU7upBKV00eF-yK-AY8VbA3Btkt7_YDj-vemD8wxQiUgcFp0GMqOdX9VyQJdm3W1KMywEbfeUG/s320/Books+and+Swag.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
Chapters in <u>PR for Poets</u> are aptly titled, short and pithy, and full of helpful ideas, insights, and tips garnered over the years by Gailey<i>. Chapter 32: PR Calendar</i> will help poets organize their calendars in regards to book launches (parties!). The last chapter of the book, <i>Chapter 33: Go and Do Some PR</i>, provides a handy, concise summary of the ideas in the book, and additional resources are listed at the end of the book. If I
were a poet, I'd definitely follow the ideas in this thoughtful
guidebook! <br />
<br />
<u>PR for Poets</u> is a wonderful book filled with a plethora of practical advice.
Having read Gailey's exquisite poetry, I'm not surprised at the amount
of care she put into this book. Her attention to detail shows that she genuinely wants to help her readers, and she talks about her own experiences in an
honest and appealing way. This helpful and talented poet generously shares
her knowledge and experience to help others promote their work. <u>PR for Poets</u> is an essential guidebook for poets. It was a pleasure to read. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk4s-b2Md6yXdWNrrwhRlWAjMO5lHR7o9lczCAGjUmBCgyYGK_e_pt4YLlFDxST1EWa3gUdJeqPBJBUPMlt4mVo6oSLccDl3PuA6n7s7QOsq5JP8clj1bJX7RK8eZ6Kxce-BInRpuZxm8v/s1600/PoeticBookTours.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk4s-b2Md6yXdWNrrwhRlWAjMO5lHR7o9lczCAGjUmBCgyYGK_e_pt4YLlFDxST1EWa3gUdJeqPBJBUPMlt4mVo6oSLccDl3PuA6n7s7QOsq5JP8clj1bJX7RK8eZ6Kxce-BInRpuZxm8v/s1600/PoeticBookTours.jpeg" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE6h3O24zRbDiC2MVsByu3NRTe6QCJopbewlJ9pOU0RT-MEYZgRLOWjZN9QNwylByQ5qmI0X9ipJ_1Gwn7-bAyIygH25pYUrlcqd-DsK9pyeVJNuncRiHXT7GcK4GTS8rFNY1j06H2ySeE/s1600/Poet-300x300.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE6h3O24zRbDiC2MVsByu3NRTe6QCJopbewlJ9pOU0RT-MEYZgRLOWjZN9QNwylByQ5qmI0X9ipJ_1Gwn7-bAyIygH25pYUrlcqd-DsK9pyeVJNuncRiHXT7GcK4GTS8rFNY1j06H2ySeE/s200/Poet-300x300.png" width="200" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br />
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</b></span></div>
<br />
Many thanks to Serena from <a href="https://poeticbooktours.wordpress.com/">Poetic Book Tours</a> for inviting me to participate in this tour, and for sending me a complimentary copy of this book. For more reviews and guest posts, please visit the other stops on <a href="https://poeticbooktours.wordpress.com/2018/05/31/pr-for-poets-by-jeannine-hall-gailey-summer-2018/">Poetic Book Tours' tour for <u>PR for Poets</u></a>.<br />
<br />
I'm also linking this post to Savvy Verse and Wit's <a href="https://savvyverseandwit.com/2018/01/poetry-something-new-2018.html">PoeTRY Something New 2018</a>. I learned a great deal about this new-to-me topic, the marketing aspect of poetry, and how poets now need to actively market their work.<br />
<br />
As always, thanks for reading! Your comments are welcomed and appreciated.Sukohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11893742747135555499noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8011304218892238385.post-81660252333769802992018-05-03T00:00:00.000-07:002018-05-03T21:12:07.115-07:00Sass, Smarts and Stilettos<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxvsx7HY5dgsK2I5iuEMe2tlZgNCvheOeEZhplqyp79ZNjNcG8xPymnwlWP2Gmj3kVqCUn6lamxc1QPqhD-ajP0Wl2a2AV2hC4pGD-0b2TdZFsrVoa7vyvRogaZCbGO-FFa8bu40IGE5wA/s1600/SassSmartsandStilettos.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="530" data-original-width="353" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxvsx7HY5dgsK2I5iuEMe2tlZgNCvheOeEZhplqyp79ZNjNcG8xPymnwlWP2Gmj3kVqCUn6lamxc1QPqhD-ajP0Wl2a2AV2hC4pGD-0b2TdZFsrVoa7vyvRogaZCbGO-FFa8bu40IGE5wA/s320/SassSmartsandStilettos.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
"We don't accept the ordinary. We dig in and do what we've always done. We get creative, and we transform it."<br />
~ <u>Sass, Smarts, and Stilettos</u>, Gabriella Contestabile<br />
<br />
<br />
Published in 2017, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/0996058524/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0996058524&linkCode=am2&tag=suksnot-20&linkId=9b7ccdd5007873bf868b4b2beadc5b50" target="_blank"><u>Sass, Smarts, and Stilettos: How Italian Women Make the Ordinary, Extraordinary</u></a> by <a href="http://www.gabriellacontestabile.com/">Gabriella Contestabile</a> is a book that focuses on Italian women. The author was born in Italy, and raised in Ottawa and NYC. In 1953, when she was four years old, her family traveled on the <i>Andrea Doria, </i>"a floating museum of art, technology, and timeless Italian good taste<i>"</i> from the port of Genova to North America, because her father has been transferred from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Rome to the Italian embassy in Ottawa. Three years later, the <i>Andrea Doria</i> sank after being hit by the SS Stockholm near Nantucket, and this floating museum of Italian art and history was lost forever. This loss contributed to the author's decision to live fully and to savor life's joyful but fleeting moments. In 1959, she emigrated with her family to New York, when her father was transferred from the Italian Embassy in Ottawa to the Italian Consulate in New York City, and begin a new life in Astoria, Queens. <br />
<br />
Written in a warm and friendly manner, this book is a personal story that's quite entertaining and informative. <u>Sass, Smarts, and Stilettos</u> is filled with practical tips and wisdom. As the title promises, it discusses what makes Italians, and especially Italian women, extraordinary. There are many anecdotes and glorious details in this inspiring book that reveal the secrets of Italian women. The basic idea is that Italian women make the ordinary extraordinary due to their innate appreciation for beauty and their deep connection with art. They use the passion, focus, and purpose that are part of their cultural identity.<br />
<br />
<u>Sass, Smarts, and Stilettos</u> is a short, charming book that may well entice you to visit Italy. (I haven't been to Italy yet, but coincidentally, one of my
sister-in-laws traveled to Italy last month, and my son is going next
month.) The cover by Katerina Miras is lovely. There are thirty-two chapters in this book, plus a helpful Italian Glossary in the back. Each chapter is titled and begins with a quotation (or two) that relates to the subject matter. Chapter titles describe the contents in a tempting and down-to-earth manner, and reveal the author's ideas and philosophy. These titles say a lot. Here are some examples: Chapter Two<i> - The Extraordinary in the Ordinary</i>, Chapter Nine - <i>Food, the Talisman of Happiness</i>, Chapter Eleven - <i>Joy in Simple Things</i>, Chapter Eighteen - <i>Style is Ageless</i>, Chapter Twenty-Four - <i>Your Life is Your Biggest Work of Art</i>, Chapter Twenty-Nine - <i>Secrets of an Italian Woman's Skin. </i>They're<i> </i>fun to read (and may be read out of order, I think, especially during a second reading). I should also mention a chapter that features numerous fashion, style tips, and some guide books, Chapter Twenty-Seven - <i>She Who Spends More, Spends Less</i>. The important idea of this chapter is to choose wisely. Choose homemade, healthy food, and well-made clothing and furnishings. <i>Compre meno, compra meglio--</i>buy less, buy better. This means buying less things, but buying the best things, and appreciating and
taking care of them. This is something that Italians are good at. Quality is of the utmost importance. <br />
<br />
<i>Mamma mia</i>, did this book resonate with me! This is how I was brought up, too, to appreciate quality, rather than quantity. I'm part Italian so this makes sense. This book talks a lot about clothing. My mother, who was half Italian, had a wonderful fashion sense. She was a sharp dresser, and her clothing was gorgeous. When I was in high school, I used to borrow her beautiful work blouses and wear them with jeans (I wanted to look elegant but cool). Today, my work wardrobe is simple and (hopefully) classic. I bring various tailoring projects to the dry cleaning shop nearby, and have been pleased with the results. The food in this book will make you crave savory (or sweet) Italian food. My Italian grandfather appreciated fine food and drink, and during my childhood he would bring my family freshly-baked, crusty bread, and special cheese from Italian markets in NYC (I've mentioned this before in a previous post). I still think about how delicious these treats were<i>.</i> This book brought back delightful memories, and I learned many things about Italy.<br />
<br />
<u>Sass, Smarts, and Stilettos</u> is a beautiful memoir, a travel guide with style and substance, and a wonderful reference book, for all things <i>Italiano</i>, or perhaps <i>Italiana</i>, given the focus of this book. I enjoyed reading it very much.<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRboG26SXoxsrULKrYbIkCni8hkXhEoDeCrKNbYFUn0QxG2xeM0vQusz9suWDIMAX-PfH9QLQdtCpox4TJgFRCl5KS71byu5aZ8GhWkOvW8yxElNQYKeFaTsl1pAXSgItfJENbuRlpOtQh/s1600/Gabriella+Contestabile.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRboG26SXoxsrULKrYbIkCni8hkXhEoDeCrKNbYFUn0QxG2xeM0vQusz9suWDIMAX-PfH9QLQdtCpox4TJgFRCl5KS71byu5aZ8GhWkOvW8yxElNQYKeFaTsl1pAXSgItfJENbuRlpOtQh/s200/Gabriella+Contestabile.jpg" width="160" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gabriella Contestabile</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<b><span style="color: #38761d; font-size: small;">Connect with the Author: <span style="color: red;"><a href="http://www.gabriellacontestabile.com/" target="_blank">Website</a></span> ~ <a href="https://twitter.com/gcontestabile64" target="_blank">Twitter</a> ~ <a href="https://www.facebook.com/thesumisuralife/" target="_blank">Facebook</a> ~ <a href="https://www.instagram.com/sumisurajourneys/" target="_blank">Instagram</a> ~ <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/gabriella-contestabile-8062108/" target="_blank">LinkedIn</a></span></b><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</b></span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjwu-mE67ViOgQy7hSYBQByUi0Zv4XvbJbgJ6_qto90JQvGotluU2wKoJDWw2AgnqlCHbbGvB2JlPWVIKh0_4IJEiMQErIGQasZwq_PEYYoLEETZvNKUTmTySXNCEasKCe9exsyTHurw8/s1600/ItalyBookTours.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjwu-mE67ViOgQy7hSYBQByUi0Zv4XvbJbgJ6_qto90JQvGotluU2wKoJDWw2AgnqlCHbbGvB2JlPWVIKh0_4IJEiMQErIGQasZwq_PEYYoLEETZvNKUTmTySXNCEasKCe9exsyTHurw8/s1600/ItalyBookTours.png" /></a></div>
<br />
Many thanks to Laura from <a href="http://www.italybooktours.com/">Italy Book Tours</a> for inviting me to be a part of this tour and for sending me a copy of this book free of charge. For more reviews of this book, giveaways, and other features, please visit <a href="https://www.italybooktours.com/blog---current-tours/book-tour-sass-smarts-and-stilettos-how-italian-women-make-the-ordinary-extraordinary-by-gabriella-contestabile">Italy Book Tours' other stops for <u><u>Sass, Smarts, and Stilettos.</u></u></a><br />
<br />
Thanks for reading! Your comments are appreciated. Sukohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11893742747135555499noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8011304218892238385.post-52503328253616400622018-04-25T00:00:00.000-07:002018-04-27T15:09:47.654-07:00Louisiana Catch<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqoKOcjgKtAvWLaXtC6IxkOu95s40fKsOjmz_DAnsAWVTngUJCvrs59aIhvklPK3ZdPxnSA7jJFzkLAx_UwtN2NZpzg1e0FKF7AXqVs0LSJwrTl8cVsLFH1L7AC4Zq2QL6UL_DHMtGx6T1/s1600/Louisiana+Catch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="957" data-original-width="618" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqoKOcjgKtAvWLaXtC6IxkOu95s40fKsOjmz_DAnsAWVTngUJCvrs59aIhvklPK3ZdPxnSA7jJFzkLAx_UwtN2NZpzg1e0FKF7AXqVs0LSJwrTl8cVsLFH1L7AC4Zq2QL6UL_DHMtGx6T1/s320/Louisiana+Catch.jpg" width="206" /></a></div>
Readers of this blog know that I'm a huge fan of award-winning poet and novelist <a href="http://swetavikram.com/">Sweta Srivastava Vikram</a>. I've read and reviewed many of her books, including <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/1615992944/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1615992944&linkCode=am2&tag=suksnot-20&linkId=7af5e63a6bdc7b92915d51d8725f8a64"><u>Saris and a Single Malt</u></a> (2016), <u><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B011HEY7T2/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B011HEY7T2&linkCode=am2&tag=suksnot-20&linkId=7eeb7af77ea841240f331fdb29ea0a4d" target="_blank">Wet Silence: Poems about Hindu Widows</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="//ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=suksnot-20&l=am2&o=1&a=B011HEY7T2" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /></u> (2015), <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1615991913/ref=as_li_tf_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1615991913&linkCode=as2&tag=suksnot-20"><u>No Ocean Here</u></a> (2013) <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/8189738860/ref=as_li_tf_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=suksnot-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399349&creativeASIN=8189738860"><u>Perfectly <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Untraditional</span></span></span></u></a> (2011), and others. I was overjoyed to receive an advanced reading copy of her newest novel, published in 2018, <u><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/1615993525/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1615993525&linkCode=am2&tag=suksnot-20&linkId=607c2bbb5b8485d6cf840c99bff48285" target="_blank">Louisiana Catch</a></u>, from Modern History Press. <br />
<br />
As I started to read <u>Louisiana Catch</u>, I was immediately drawn into the fascinating world of Ahana Chopra, a wealthy, thirty-three year-old New Delhi woman. Recently divorced from her college sweetheart, Dev Khana, her outwardly charming but emotionally and sexually abusive ex-husband, she's trying to rebuild her life after her marriage ends. Yoga and running help her to feel better and more optimistic, to an extent. Because of the culture she lives in, she doesn't share the painful aspects of her marriage with others, created by a bullying husband who forced her to have sex, who in fact raped her. To make matters worse, her mother dies suddenly, and Ahana is completely devastated and heartbroken.<br />
<br />
Although her loss is tremendous and it's hard for her to get through each day, Ahana immerses herself in her work as a women's rights advocate, and even takes on the responsibility of spearheading the upcoming international women's conference in New Orleans, called <i>No Excuse</i>, which is turning into a major event.<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"I still wonder how the universe caught two men from Louisiana and sent them into my life around the same time."<br />
~ <u>Louisiana Catch</u>, Sweta Srivastava Vikram </blockquote>
<br />
Ahana soon meets two men related to her online activities, Rohan Brady, a handsome colleague who helps her to develop an online presence, and Jay Dubois, who's in her online support group, and is grieving the loss of his own mother. Ahana and Jay share their grief, bond over lines from <u>The Catcher in the Rye</u>, and become online friends, although they haven't met in person yet. As time passes, though, Ahana is not sure who she can trust, or if she can even trust her own feelings and instincts.<br />
<br />
What a riveting story! Every page of this novel held my attention. Written in the first person from the point of view of
Ahana, the protagonist, the book reveals her thoughts, and she
shares with readers the private things that she doesn't share with
her family or friends (because they are too painful to reveal). As a wealthy
Indian woman, Ahana's blessed with material comforts, but she's not
emotionally comfortable. The author is a very skilled writer, and Ahana, Naina, Lakshmi, and the other characters in this book come to life. Vikram tackles difficult and complex matters, such as the sudden death of Ahana's mother, Mumma, online relationships and "catfishing", and an especially taboo topic, marital rape. In this book, we learn about Ahana's marriage, and the physical and emotional abuse she quietly endured for years (too many women suffer in this same manner). <br />
<br />
Gradually, with some help from friends and family, Ahana discovers and demonstrates her own remarkable strength and resilience in this touching story of success. Despite abuse, loss, and various cultural obstacles, the telling of Ahana's story will provide help and healing to herself and other women. This book<span class="a-size-base review-text" data-hook="review-body"><span class="a-size-base review-text" data-hook="review-body"> is exceptionally compelling, and it's remarkably timely, too. </span></span><span class="a-size-base review-text" data-hook="review-body">I read <u>Louisiana Catch</u> at the onset of the #MeToo movement, in October of 2017.</span> The author is also a certified yoga teacher and the CEO-Founder of <a href="http://www.nimmilife.com/">NimmiLife</a>,
and teaches yoga and mindfulness to female survivors of rape and
domestic
violence. I'm thrilled that this book is garnering a lot of attention now, on Amazon and elsewhere. It's an important and powerful book.<br />
<br />
Here are a couple of lovely, joyful photos from the author's <u>Louisiana Catch</u> Book Launch at Lululemon. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2N0gjvBWCkP5BcNXXbR_TSUw0eF8Bh8iDzKTUjwkDLdgG8g5iZ2dOj-YEtgZxxdcSGNnChyphenhyphenCm1DruS2vyALN3XZBbzk_5f0xur4M-dU6ixzFZ7BITa2EjIRQXJVpuL-QHgKjGW8KZr7Zu/s1600/Sweta+Vikram+LC1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2N0gjvBWCkP5BcNXXbR_TSUw0eF8Bh8iDzKTUjwkDLdgG8g5iZ2dOj-YEtgZxxdcSGNnChyphenhyphenCm1DruS2vyALN3XZBbzk_5f0xur4M-dU6ixzFZ7BITa2EjIRQXJVpuL-QHgKjGW8KZr7Zu/s320/Sweta+Vikram+LC1.jpeg" width="256" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUyLzcGRKdDhunZyKoY8orWfALCwbgFgusfOqeeW0RoyviRhR1pyizaClU3dEfkeqXqXWnJxwuJvXKcB9Hkj87s0Y5b5QN41CGqGdKO-k86CsVwDHZFfDBRTeAR_4rsBvN_Mb2efY4uOct/s1600/Sweta+Vikram+LC2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUyLzcGRKdDhunZyKoY8orWfALCwbgFgusfOqeeW0RoyviRhR1pyizaClU3dEfkeqXqXWnJxwuJvXKcB9Hkj87s0Y5b5QN41CGqGdKO-k86CsVwDHZFfDBRTeAR_4rsBvN_Mb2efY4uOct/s320/Sweta+Vikram+LC2.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #660000;"><b>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</b></span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz6FzyCUEwuzIXg418wpgU053IJ4K4X-aku57m-CBCSoVxUA7i9S-NnhPrsk2axHfu23Gsf3qzcemo2ssCL4EKkI5_Y0mitCrwxZ5oXarr5SyQTpUwfj0PrJnPfceJz5FL-ZwGCL5c6Ig3/s1600/PoeticBookTours.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz6FzyCUEwuzIXg418wpgU053IJ4K4X-aku57m-CBCSoVxUA7i9S-NnhPrsk2axHfu23Gsf3qzcemo2ssCL4EKkI5_Y0mitCrwxZ5oXarr5SyQTpUwfj0PrJnPfceJz5FL-ZwGCL5c6Ig3/s200/PoeticBookTours.jpeg" width="200" /></a></div>
<br />
Many thanks to Victor from Modern History Press for sending me an advance reading copy of <u>Louisiana Catch</u> free of charge, and to Serena from <a href="https://poeticbooktours.wordpress.com/">Poetic Book Tours</a> for inviting me to participate in this tour. I'm honored to have read another incredible book by this talented and prolific author. For other reviews and features, please visit <a href="https://poeticbooktours.wordpress.com/2018/02/23/louisiana-catch-by-sweta-srivastava-vikram-spring-2018/">Poetic Book Tours' tour for <u>Louisiana Catch</u></a>.<br />
<br />
Thank you for reading! Your comments are appreciated. Sukohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11893742747135555499noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8011304218892238385.post-70654735422846979612018-04-16T00:00:00.000-07:002018-04-16T00:00:42.891-07:00How to Love the Empty Air<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi21uTgsX3PA-pgIVLu2IYk0pfVZMFJD-NgYqDukvmaOKca8LPWoQIsivLH16_SUwE8ecj6smrU6HNwkBLX7V0qQkp5RHzH00ZwcknGCMBwkl9XNeTq5sqllqT1lKo4l05nS_OQ2Waj0iXz/s1600/HowtoLovetheEmptyAir.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="333" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi21uTgsX3PA-pgIVLu2IYk0pfVZMFJD-NgYqDukvmaOKca8LPWoQIsivLH16_SUwE8ecj6smrU6HNwkBLX7V0qQkp5RHzH00ZwcknGCMBwkl9XNeTq5sqllqT1lKo4l05nS_OQ2Waj0iXz/s320/HowtoLovetheEmptyAir.jpg" width="213" /></a> How will you celebrate? April is National Poetry Month, a time to explore and experience the world of poetry. In honor of National Poetry Month, I read a new collection of poetry by <a href="http://aptowicz.com/">Cristin O'Keefe Aptowicz</a>, the poet's seventh, <u><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1938912802/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1938912802&linkCode=as2&tag=suksnot-20&linkId=5c9d8afcad1ea4cfcd67635d908d6aaf" target="_blank">How to Love the Empty Air</a></u>, published in 2018.<br />
<br />
This book is an intimate, autobiographical collection of poems that depict the author's successes in her work and relationships, as well as the great loss that she experiences when her mother--her "narrator"--dies suddenly. In these poems, we learn about the poet's life, about her writing career and move to Texas, and about her relationships, especially her relationship with her mother. <br />
<br />
I'm not sure what I was expecting, but I was pleasantly surprised by this book, because it's contemporary--it includes email and texts--it's down-to-earth, and also, most importantly, it illustrates the poet's beautiful, close relationship with her mother, who has died. Each of these poems is like a short story (or more accurately, a mini story) packed with creativity, thought, and feeling. Although Aptowicz is deeply grieving the loss of her mother, she's able to find some comfort, which she shares with her readers, by remembering and honoring her mother in this collection, in a way that's both personal and universal. The titles of poems, such as for the opening poem, <i>My Mother Does Not Give Advice</i>, and <i>Moving Means that You Have to Touch Everything You Own Once</i>
(never thought of it that way!), and the final poem, <i>Sleeping in Late with My Mother</i> (which ends the collection in a funny and positive, remarkable manner), set the stage for the unique humor
found in this collection. Her mother's voice comes through clearly in these poems, sometimes quite literally, "<i>That's not the picture I want you to see</i>/<i>Use the other one/You know that one, from our weekend together?" (</i>from the poem<i>, Portraits of My Mother, Far Away from Texas). </i> The poet and her mother share a special sense of
humor. These poems are funny, they are touching, and very "relatable". I don't know how Aptowicz manages to create poems out of emails, texts, and references to emojis, but she does! On a personal, related note, having lost my own mother in 2011, I cherish the letters and emails I have from her, and reread them when I crave connection to her. My mother's words, like Aptowicz's mother's words, contain her humor and her support, and so remain helpful, and present. <br />
<br />
If I were a high school English teacher, I'd choose to read and discuss <u>How to Love the Empty Air</u> with my students, because I think my students would then
fall in love with poetry. But many people, of all ages, are reluctant to read poetry. They worry perhaps that
they will not understand it, that it'll be written in formal, difficult-to-decipher language, replete with odd metaphors and similes, bygones
from another era. These poems are easy to read and yet full of depth and meaning. I really can't say enough about them! If you're at all intimidated by the idea of poetry, pick up this book. You might change your mind completely.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwudg7KHICygMfLSEZFxb0BWDBYNYOeV9BsZs4eTslre-5VCY-Ay8ARl-pb4BlC4Wr9Ns1RGwKiPOY8FALoNJJ0frYyW2sR3hPOjSFuAevmoAIjfdTqHrvg9ZoBSsjkpDEQzsYh-HFbVJl/s1600/National+Poetry+Month+2018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="300" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwudg7KHICygMfLSEZFxb0BWDBYNYOeV9BsZs4eTslre-5VCY-Ay8ARl-pb4BlC4Wr9Ns1RGwKiPOY8FALoNJJ0frYyW2sR3hPOjSFuAevmoAIjfdTqHrvg9ZoBSsjkpDEQzsYh-HFbVJl/s200/National+Poetry+Month+2018.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmtbYRVrREJ6LFn6YLVmqo2ydhTRA46-vivPVysnYjMdEmuhqi-eBA3wLiBN93ozVfns3pRVXP6iOqbNAhS3zMTVQh7ny9vZIdwk37jFYEO_u5IaDMx-TTbcdgU4AqQnv8qoJ2pwuWmkH7/s1600/PoeticBookTours.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmtbYRVrREJ6LFn6YLVmqo2ydhTRA46-vivPVysnYjMdEmuhqi-eBA3wLiBN93ozVfns3pRVXP6iOqbNAhS3zMTVQh7ny9vZIdwk37jFYEO_u5IaDMx-TTbcdgU4AqQnv8qoJ2pwuWmkH7/s1600/PoeticBookTours.jpeg" /></a></div>
<br />
Many thanks to Serena from <a href="https://poeticbooktours.wordpress.com/">Poetic Book Tours</a> for inviting me to participate in this tour, and for providing a complimentary copy of this brilliant book. To read other reviews of this collection, please visit <a href="https://poeticbooktours.wordpress.com/2018/03/22/how-to-love-the-empty-air-by-cristin-okeefe-aptowicz-spring-2018/">Poetic Book Tours' tour for <u>How to Love the Empty Air</u></a>.<br />
<br />
Thank you very much for reading! Your comments are appreciated.Sukohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11893742747135555499noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8011304218892238385.post-67620983034568904992018-03-17T20:00:00.000-07:002018-03-17T20:00:26.944-07:00Why Do I Write?: A Guest Post by Rajiv MittalLast month, I read a terrific, concise review on Tracy's book blog, <a href="https://pettywitter.blogspot.com.au/2018/02/brahmahatya.html">Pen and Paper</a>, about a novel with "simple yet powerful language" that's "incredibly rich in human emotions", <u><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1522019243/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1522019243&linkCode=as2&tag=suksnot-20&linkId=59136f7bf4d79751517189b08eb1da08" target="_blank">Brahmahatya</a></u> by <a href="https://www.facebook.com/v.rajivkumar/">Rajiv Mittal</a>, published in 2017. Like Tracy, I'm not familiar with Hindu scripture or mythology (I studied Hinduism only briefly in high school), but the book sounds fascinating to me. Author Rajiv Mittal graciously sent me a copy of his novel, which I hope to read and review before too long. The author also wrote an exclusive guest post for this blog. Like me, I think you'll find it strong and compelling.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #274e13;"><b>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_yyXi3Gru-DgySme2RbH3xU_nKoI6ARuZyZgJpgE_a2o5az9l7PP2tYUCnqs5YR23zJIKyO3iWvfKn_GuQdoLdSJXekFp6xuCIyy54ueJCLQUkq5jkJo5kLPBkJGXFEMaEf0GGA7tN3mW/s1600/Rajiv+Mittal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_yyXi3Gru-DgySme2RbH3xU_nKoI6ARuZyZgJpgE_a2o5az9l7PP2tYUCnqs5YR23zJIKyO3iWvfKn_GuQdoLdSJXekFp6xuCIyy54ueJCLQUkq5jkJo5kLPBkJGXFEMaEf0GGA7tN3mW/s200/Rajiv+Mittal.jpg" width="133" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHJ-Aih_eO_xurtci39X7INKt7sO2QgYSi-FFxjrVZRh8uuBKI03aX2SoinaDs6AbfibVysigl_14XztPtZhZAb3ARRGlQt2oL9qoQrP1su8LLJAVAlsU2qUMkBhHU6w0bTAke8uj_hUvH/s1600/Brahmahatya.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHJ-Aih_eO_xurtci39X7INKt7sO2QgYSi-FFxjrVZRh8uuBKI03aX2SoinaDs6AbfibVysigl_14XztPtZhZAb3ARRGlQt2oL9qoQrP1su8LLJAVAlsU2qUMkBhHU6w0bTAke8uj_hUvH/s200/Brahmahatya.jpg" width="151" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="color: #660000;">Why Do I Write?</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="color: #660000;">A Guest Post by Rajiv Mittal</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #660000;"> </span> </span></div>
You asked me if I would like to write a guest post.<br />
<br />
The first thought that came to my mind is, ‘Why do I write?’<br />
<br />
So why do I write?<br />
<br />
First of all, a random rant …<br />
<br />
Because there are six billion humans in this planet. I cannot handle that number. A novel is a
universe which usually contains a manageable population and the main ones are generally
interesting.<br />
<br />
If I switch on the TV or surf the internet, I read about how mankind is destroying the planet. And the
more dramatic of such portrayals show heart-rending photographs of children in great distress.
Where on earth are the parents of these children? What made them produce children if they could
not offer them lives better than their own? When I write, I feel happy that I am not under pressure
to feel outraged at everyone other than the real criminals.<br />
<br />
And they are?<br />
<br />
‘Produce more children for our vote banks,’ continue to exhort our political people. ‘Consume
more,’ continue to exhort our corporate people. The real world now seems to be held to ransom by
people with maniacal eyes hysterically expostulating the beauty of their religions. It seems most of
these people have spent a great deal of time and effort trying to look ugly. They have succeeded
spectacularly. I don’t want to see them, hear them or argue with them. I smell decay and their
touch is not healing. What do they do to earn a living? What were their grades in school and
college? What qualifies them to be the prophets? Just ugliness, it seems.<br />
<br />
What makes for a good story? I am told it is the following:<br />
<br />
Theme. A theme is something important the story tries to tell us—something that might help us in
our own lives. ...<br />
<br />
Plot. Plot is most often about a conflict or struggle that the main character goes through. ...<br />
<br />
Story Structure. ...<br />
<br />
Characters. ...<br />
<br />
Setting. ...<br />
<br />
Style and Tone.<br />
<br />
The real life story is the worship of fecund reproductive organs and its ending worries me, it is not
something that interests me. Books are the triumphant outcome of the uncontrolled mind.<br />
<br />
That is why I prefer to write. I am in control of my universe.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><b>•~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~•</b></span></span></div>
<br />
<span style="color: #660000;">How <i>Brahmahatya</i> happened:</span><br />
<br />
I would visit my father in his retirement home during his final days. Seeing all the residents, I would
wonder – what are their stories? And are they all really who they say they are. Also, spending time
at a retirement home made me question a lot of things about life. And the story evolved.<br />
<br />
Strange to say, but once I started writing it, the book took on a life of its own. It sounds clichéd but it
is a fact. It was almost as if the book got its own aatma (soul) and I became another character in its
life journey – the character of the author.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #660000;">A personal experience related to the book:</span>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4ywmc5hWEVKXWUduImsFdwLE9dzydvAiJ_8CZwyJqO0qbRtirkElzf2V5SU4TEEHtxRBq8KiGnhYzZSsIAxUmq5oF0KWPSfOiuEs0ID8yBy9BlKH08BZmrFAJHT9Yrb2jFwfSsxBje8DV/s1600/GBT.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="375" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4ywmc5hWEVKXWUduImsFdwLE9dzydvAiJ_8CZwyJqO0qbRtirkElzf2V5SU4TEEHtxRBq8KiGnhYzZSsIAxUmq5oF0KWPSfOiuEs0ID8yBy9BlKH08BZmrFAJHT9Yrb2jFwfSsxBje8DV/s400/GBT.jpg" width="450" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
There was time to spare and the tuktuk was chugging past the Theosophical Society en-route to
Phoenix Mall in Chennai. I had a suspicion it had no business being there but the tuktuk driver was
canny and I was clueless. On an impulse, I asked him to stop near the gate and paid him off.<br />
<br />
I had last gone inside the Society gate with my dad. He had wanted to show me some banyan tree -
one of the largest in Asia. I was seven years old and I was very happy to be alone with him even
though it was only to see some stupid tree. I remember I had then been very scared of it (it was a
huge presence with strange limbs). I wanted to see it again now, no... I wanted to relive the
memories. I recall (now as an adult) that it was massive, majestic in its silence and even the forces of
nature (the waning twilight rays, the gentle sea-breeze and the noisy birds) had fluttered nervously
around it, as if seeking permission.<br />
<br />
My steps quickened as I reached it. The signboard said, ‘The Great Banyan Tree.’ I looked around,
puzzled. A lone security guard walked up to me and said, ‘Sir, the tree fell down in a cyclone many
years ago.’ I stared at the vast green space in the center where it had stood, quite
uncomprehendingly. I felt very angry. This was very wrong. The tree had no right to die. It was
meant to be eternal.<br />
<br />
I again looked at the emptiness where the tree had lived. The younger trees, its descendants, stand
proud and tall, seeming to preserve and protect the bare space.<br />
<br />
When I walked away, I again felt the presence of my dad, very frail in his final days but very strong in
my memories.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #660000;">Some words that echo the philosophy of the book:</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #0b5394;"> • Whomsoever you encounter is the right one.</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394;"> • Whatever happened is the only thing that could have happened.</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394;"> • Each moment in which something begins is the right moment.</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394;"> • What is over is over.</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #0b5394;"> Author – Unknown</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #660000;">The quiet, unhindered steady chant that treads through the book:</span><br />
<br />
“<i>Brahmanda bhramite kona bhagyavan jiva</i>. According to their karma, all living entities are
wandering throughout the entire universe…”<br />
<br />
I hope <i>Brahmahatya</i> will form part of your life journey, however small. <i>Thathasthu</i>. (It will be so).<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #274e13;"><b>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</b></span></div>
<br />
"Books are the triumphant outcome of the uncontrolled mind"! I relish the idea of making order and art out of disorder and chaos. Your personal story about the Great Banyan tree is very powerful and touching. Thank you, Rajiv, for sharing your thoughts about writing, and more, in this outstanding guest post. I am truly looking forward to reading your book.<br />
<br />
Your comments are welcomed, as usual. Thanks for reading! Sukohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11893742747135555499noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8011304218892238385.post-42257780512161592292018-03-06T23:00:00.000-08:002018-03-17T13:13:11.763-07:00Switching from Mysteries to Historical Fiction: A Guest Post by Glen Ebisch, and a Giveaway<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: red;"> </span></b></span>Emerson and Thoreau! I studied their work in school, did you? When I think about <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ralph_Waldo_Emerson">Ralph Waldo Emerson</a> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_David_Thoreau">Henry David Thoreau</a>, I think about nature, about truth, about freedom. I looked at one of my bookshelves and quickly spotted the Emerson and Thoreau books from my college days, next to each other. I'm glad I still have these books.<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"The sky is the daily bread of the eyes."<br />
<b><span style="color: cyan;">~ Ralph Waldo Emerson</span></b><br />
<br />
"The world is but a canvas to our imagination."<br />
<b><span style="color: cyan;">~ Henry David Thoreau</span></b></blockquote>
<br />
The premise of the new historical novel, <u><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1625267452/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1625267452&linkCode=as2&tag=suksnot-20&linkId=b99f5e2c61014a35d3abeb64bdc46fba" target="_blank">Dearest David</a></u>, by author <a href="http://www.glenebisch.com/">Glen Ebisch</a>, published in 2018, is fascinating to me. It's the story of a young woman, Abigail Taylor, who leaves her family farm outside of Concord, Massachusetts, to work
as a servant in the home of lecturer Ralph Waldo Emerson, the American essayist, philosopher, poet, and leader of the transcendentalist movement of the mid-19th century. Abigail also meets Henry David Thoreau, who was also an essayist, philosopher, poet, and leading transcendentalist. Since I haven't read the book yet, more details are in the synopsis from the publisher, Solstice, below.<br />
<br />
<i>Seventeen-year-old Abigail only spends a few months during the year 1841 as a kitchen
maid and part-time nanny to the Emerson children, but she experiences life in the
Emerson household at the peak of both its intellectual and emotional intensity.
She falls in love with the free-spirited but emotionally ambivalent Henry David
Thoreau and learns that she must share her fascination with him with both
Emerson’s wife, the prophetic and frightening Lidian, and the children’s
governess, Ms. Ford. She also meets the charismatic radical journalist, Margaret
Fuller. And she learns to respect but also to recognize the limitations of
Emerson himself. Eventually, Abigail is forced to leave her employment in the
Emerson household, but only after realizing the magical nature of her time in
this special place, where discussions about the principles of self-reliance,
feminism, and abolitionism flourished. </i>
<br />
<br />
In this exclusive guest post, New England mystery author Glen Ebisch talks about why he chose to write historical fiction about Emerson and Thoreau. I think you'll find his pithy post intriguing! <br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</b></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoDjkQQKtUcFJfbdlndRToJmq0z60W9jsyWUVCNrRAG4aqgODDl7ou0NJK9MYkmovmj96miMyZRyPcz2cxcOEL0CgTQ75Xk_TGJuJhgTGaluWReC3o1Xxzbeb0LvFoR0jsaEtNTvT4xvyo/s200/Glen+Ebisch.jpg" width="200" /><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0mW7LkL7fKjEazfg48csJV-sjQDTO1KUvn_SpxxG-xc0tJvpWO0dHWDppepiIZPdE7rA9X4Rdg9WY9rfQakP5X2JMT2W4brHr0XXNYAGL6Z3QGPUTD-jOW3LJmB3Klz94kZXZNRRoyVf1/s320/Dearest+David.jpg" width="212" /></div>
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="color: #0b5394;">Switching from Mysteries to Historical Fiction</span></b><br />
<b><span style="color: #0b5394;"> A Guest Post by Glen Ebisch, and a Giveaway </span></b></div>
<span style="color: #0b5394;"> </span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #0b5394;">What motivates someone to switch from writing mysteries to deciding to write a work of historical fiction? In my case it came about because, as a philosopher in my day job, I became interested in the philosophical ideas of Bronson Alcott, the father of Louisa May. This led me to do research on that period in Concord, Massachusetts, which was an interesting one, with Emerson, Thoreau, and at times Hawthorne, living in the area and frequently socializing. It seemed to me to be an historical period just ripe for a story.</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #0b5394;">By whatever means these things happen, I came up with the idea of placing a young woman of humble means but with a good basic education in the Emerson household as a servant. I thought it would be valuable to have a young woman’s insight into what was largely a man’s world, while at the same time contrasting her with the very different figures of Lidian Emerson and Margaret Fuller. It also gave me the opportunity to discuss the early growth of the feminist movement, which was developing at that time in the Northeast.</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #0b5394;">In order to increase the emotional intensity of the story I had this young woman, named Abigail Taylor, fall in love with Henry David Thoreau. Her passion is partly for him as a man, and partly for him as a representative of an intellectual life that she finds exciting but beyond her reach. This is in many ways a coming of age novel, because Abigail learns from her relationship with Thoreau the extremes to which her passion can drive her, while from Emerson she learns the importance of self-reliance in a challenging world. As the end of the story suggests, these contrasting lessons lead her to live an exciting life after she leaves the Emerson household.</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #0b5394;">To go back to my first question as to why I deviated from mystery writing to try my hand at historical fiction, I think all writing in a sense is delving into the mystery of what motivates people. Not all mysteries, and, perhaps not the most interesting ones, involve a crime, but they all involve an examination of the human heart.</span><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</b><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
Thank you, Glen, for your wonderful guest post. I'm so pleased to learn that Margaret Fuller is also a character in your book. (In 2013, I read and <a href="http://www.sukosnotebook.net/2013/05/margaret-fuller-new-american-life.html">reviewed</a> a brilliant biography about her, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0547195605/ref=as_li_tf_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0547195605&linkCode=as2&tag=suksnot-20"><u>Margaret Fuller: A New American Life</u></a> by Megan Marshall.) Thanks as well for graciously offering a copy of <u>Dearest David</u> as a giveaway (U.S./Canada only).<br />
<b><br />
</b></div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTMpX377e_pSaIHtjyfJuXdC0oKpNsTVR669jXqYAVz7a_YHfZcOKjR-6RDl0AfECvXiB2EAYqg9FExk09WETnz6TBd7uU63YyaVfwNKRGTmmsjnE1TZxSOI0y6cUWScvLnn57l7oq1Nl4/s1600/Books.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTMpX377e_pSaIHtjyfJuXdC0oKpNsTVR669jXqYAVz7a_YHfZcOKjR-6RDl0AfECvXiB2EAYqg9FExk09WETnz6TBd7uU63YyaVfwNKRGTmmsjnE1TZxSOI0y6cUWScvLnn57l7oq1Nl4/s200/Books.jpg" width="150" /></a>
<li>To enter this giveaway, simply leave a comment. </li>
<li>For another chance at winning, become a follower of this blog, or let me know that you're already a follower.</li>
<li>For an additional chance, post about this giveaway on your blog, Facebook, Pinterest, or Twitter. </li>
<li>If you've read work by or about Emerson, Thoreau, Fuller, or another transcendentalist, mention that for an extra entry. </li>
</ul>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br />
Enter by 5 PM PDT on Tuesday, March 20 (the first day of spring). One winner will be selected
randomly and contacted on Wednesday, March 21. Good luck to my readers, and as always, thanks for reading!</div>
</div>
Sukohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11893742747135555499noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8011304218892238385.post-92097398078960414662018-01-28T17:00:00.000-08:002018-01-29T10:14:06.075-08:00Daisy by Canvas Press<a href="http://www.canvaspress.com/">Canvas Press, Inc.,</a> a company that specializes in creating custom canvas prints for homes and offices, offered me a canvas print in exchange for a review on my blog. While I looked around the website, the <a href="http://www.canvaspress.com/pet-photos.html">pet photos</a> especially caught my eye. I love to decorate my home and thought it would be wonderful to have a large photo of our little dog, Daisy, a Chihuahua and terrier mix, in the den, where she spends a great deal of time. My idea was to order a canvas print of Daisy, but it was hard to find a really good picture of her. (I almost decided to submit a photo of a bowl of ramen, that I'd posted on Instagram; as many of you know, I post a lot of food pics on Instagram.) Luckily, my husband found a sharp picture that my daughter, Angela, had taken with her iPhone, a photo that captures Daisy's charm.<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiACb-bn3W6qKDxMknmR4coqKADDQUOUvhHz56Y9a2AEkaJyfgGQizsMb-MlZfE_q8cp4ES1CPD3Al8OaEjz44YNLOenVYnMKmTSU1U4MlI-5K3JfYxDX80GbVrNFoTJvKkUNahS4l72e6q/s1600/Daisy+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiACb-bn3W6qKDxMknmR4coqKADDQUOUvhHz56Y9a2AEkaJyfgGQizsMb-MlZfE_q8cp4ES1CPD3Al8OaEjz44YNLOenVYnMKmTSU1U4MlI-5K3JfYxDX80GbVrNFoTJvKkUNahS4l72e6q/s400/Daisy+1.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">16" x 20" Canvas Press canvas print of Daisy</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9kdFNuMwRoasJh-8U3CwWdSGZEyG65DE5ADJjBX0pRgB4NcT6zN6jMGu3gvi51h-pa6md_LATPU9zZmOftSYF45pMVmr1vJOuN5UW5DHo2PcL0hZH3O1PZiJTv7caA0KA8hSaCh-iySHB/s1600/DaisyClose-up.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9kdFNuMwRoasJh-8U3CwWdSGZEyG65DE5ADJjBX0pRgB4NcT6zN6jMGu3gvi51h-pa6md_LATPU9zZmOftSYF45pMVmr1vJOuN5UW5DHo2PcL0hZH3O1PZiJTv7caA0KA8hSaCh-iySHB/s400/DaisyClose-up.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Close-up of Canvas Press canvas print</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
It was easy to submit the photo to Canvas Press online, but I wanted to make sure that I'd cropped the photo properly, so after my order was confirmed I contacted customer service via email. I was quickly assured that the print would look great, but that I could make changes if I wanted to. I took their word for it, and in less than a week, my beautifully packaged, gorgeous 16" x 20" canvas print arrived. Once removed from the package, it was ready to hang on the wall. The colors are rich and vibrant, and this canvas print of Daisy is a wonderful addition to our den. It's truly a terrific, larger than life photo of her, made with great care and craftsmanship. The sides and edges are beautiful, as shown below.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4a5us4qtm6Uc4tLubbNuhheUMdvprt92Ajl1HrdxKp3gKSAUbBQ9BqjJw7rQMBi7nT0K6PeZ9Ewh549RND8hULtQSMzp3TZChBtpW0LM4mOhjstv2XM5DNPraeeMEv2p4qaR6jkvBhAfA/s1600/Edge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4a5us4qtm6Uc4tLubbNuhheUMdvprt92Ajl1HrdxKp3gKSAUbBQ9BqjJw7rQMBi7nT0K6PeZ9Ewh549RND8hULtQSMzp3TZChBtpW0LM4mOhjstv2XM5DNPraeeMEv2p4qaR6jkvBhAfA/s320/Edge.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beautifully handcrafted</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Many thanks to Canvas Press! I'm thrilled with my canvas print of Daisy, and will cherish it. Canvas Press offers canvas prints of various sizes, as well as photo paper prints, wall murals, and wallpaper. What would you order from <a href="http://www.canvaspress.com/">Canvas Press</a>? As always, your comments are welcomed and appreciated. Thanks for reading!Sukohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11893742747135555499noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8011304218892238385.post-67298535888016040292017-12-30T22:00:00.000-08:002017-12-31T14:26:34.603-08:00First Lines 2017<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTYAQBRfg96D8QcKa85AHUY97CYr269EwrDh0eG_DV8040yS7-_DE-BvIwNjioS8a_UQf1F8ZlYBJy3rhBpTi-3UtjG_EJVzg2by0bYsqrwpugs08rGWAotcDsh6x_K8-j8kZu-zzTjgom/s1600/First-Lines.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="106" data-original-width="320" height="106" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTYAQBRfg96D8QcKa85AHUY97CYr269EwrDh0eG_DV8040yS7-_DE-BvIwNjioS8a_UQf1F8ZlYBJy3rhBpTi-3UtjG_EJVzg2by0bYsqrwpugs08rGWAotcDsh6x_K8-j8kZu-zzTjgom/s320/First-Lines.png" width="320" /></a></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Although I posted infrequently here this year, I will continue my tradition and finish the year with a First Lines summary post for 2017. Hosted at the end of each year by Melwyk from <a href="https://indextrious.blogspot.com/2017/12/a-year-in-first-lines-2017-in-review.html">The Indextrious Reader</a></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">, the basic idea
of First Lines is "to take the first line of each month's first post over the
past year and see what it tells you about your blogging year".<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null"> </a> I've been doing this meme since I first discovered it (on <a href="http://katesbookblog.blogspot.com/2009/12/first-lines-meme.html">Kate's Book Blog</a>) in 2009. If you've ever stopped by Melwyk's blog, then you know that she writes thoughtfully and insightfully about the books that she reads. I've been captivated countless times by books that she's featured, and I've also been tempted to join her reading challenges, although I've cut back on my participation in them over the past few years. Anyway, without further ado, here are my First Lines. To read more of a post, simply click on the month. </span></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjruaYGhPKaF25bGzYFYAfYMPM3nIyo5FSNHbLY95qRF8BxRPhy13vJeNOCzhmDZMBaAWkmy64q0j9jq0tjCGLe4VctsHzCqnMstNy3t9LxzPqbcfOz59pgoq0EcLplkpne4IpLA_jr4O6c/s1600/cooltext271131358338514.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="116" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjruaYGhPKaF25bGzYFYAfYMPM3nIyo5FSNHbLY95qRF8BxRPhy13vJeNOCzhmDZMBaAWkmy64q0j9jq0tjCGLe4VctsHzCqnMstNy3t9LxzPqbcfOz59pgoq0EcLplkpne4IpLA_jr4O6c/s200/cooltext271131358338514.png" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.sukosnotebook.net/2017/01/first-book-of-year-2017.html">January</a></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I will begin the new reading year with a Japanese novel, <u>The Housekeeper and the Professor</u> by Yoko Ogawa, a book that my daughter, Jasmine, recommended to me.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(Note to my readers: I enjoyed reading this wonderful book, but I did not post a review of it. I do not review every book that I read.) </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYWGlk79Vq_gkONqzrq5ksxQDPQPyhtuvJWgYfRvGI2m2hCe_tdiwSD923TXCXAZdd5UX7zvBueUdRz5PgVMAfPH33iZoTl4Z9_3R7tpLWEhotK6hveHBjsquyPKBQvTYuxQVtuSM7-KIf/s1600/18a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="85" data-original-width="320" height="53" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYWGlk79Vq_gkONqzrq5ksxQDPQPyhtuvJWgYfRvGI2m2hCe_tdiwSD923TXCXAZdd5UX7zvBueUdRz5PgVMAfPH33iZoTl4Z9_3R7tpLWEhotK6hveHBjsquyPKBQvTYuxQVtuSM7-KIf/s200/18a.jpg" width="200" /></a></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.sukosnotebook.net/2017/02/three-picture-books-for-children.html">February</a></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In this post I'm featuring three children's books from <a href="http://www.lovinghealing.com/">Loving Healing Press</a>. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb-66sRbwPgofVyd0QlTlzZsgbTSNrYDdfPuoAXMKsjgEfFsEHlT_cgFIhmJHpcOUr32SLevhBrHgwdCq0LJPFODAi6N2MOJzGU1hsAp3RQqvEypgLMZI5Q9kAe6i9JAzvHgXgrjWM_nLH/s1600/MyBrotherisSpecial.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb-66sRbwPgofVyd0QlTlzZsgbTSNrYDdfPuoAXMKsjgEfFsEHlT_cgFIhmJHpcOUr32SLevhBrHgwdCq0LJPFODAi6N2MOJzGU1hsAp3RQqvEypgLMZI5Q9kAe6i9JAzvHgXgrjWM_nLH/s200/MyBrotherisSpecial.jpg" width="200" /></a></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.sukosnotebook.net/2017/03/dreaming-sophia-book-spotlight.html">March</a></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-size: small;"> <span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-size: small;">é bella!</span></span> </span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmgOEJP3wqro-wfD3xeBBLYiJcTTDMNtud3fAAuZ5VUWY8VhLsiz4fUdNwBN29xI9LezysHMz61fC6sCyZGt67cPt1Kg3UDLcM_XKlZ8MTyPD2GffWbPwKdPGKlthu_53kuB2W420-WCJ9/s1600/DreamingSophia.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="214" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmgOEJP3wqro-wfD3xeBBLYiJcTTDMNtud3fAAuZ5VUWY8VhLsiz4fUdNwBN29xI9LezysHMz61fC6sCyZGt67cPt1Kg3UDLcM_XKlZ8MTyPD2GffWbPwKdPGKlthu_53kuB2W420-WCJ9/s200/DreamingSophia.jpg" width="133" /></a></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.sukosnotebook.net/2017/04/for-national-poetry-month-robert-frost.html">April </a></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">During a Facetime chat yesterday with my daughter, Angela, she passed a
statue of Robert Frost on the campus of Dartmouth College.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBrQe6KA-DrC0X-dAUx_MkRpJWIZ-Bo0jZVkow1UAzGdTyt-kZXdiXIM3PGMPjdyLS76cVQKOfrT0qcqQcsHU4vGZl-HS6f5QXObaK8W1GgDrsSPUgmt8-mJP-DoCX9GSD-bpVMAIZ2zPj/s1600/Robert%252BFrost%252B42717.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="300" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBrQe6KA-DrC0X-dAUx_MkRpJWIZ-Bo0jZVkow1UAzGdTyt-kZXdiXIM3PGMPjdyLS76cVQKOfrT0qcqQcsHU4vGZl-HS6f5QXObaK8W1GgDrsSPUgmt8-mJP-DoCX9GSD-bpVMAIZ2zPj/s200/Robert%252BFrost%252B42717.jpg" width="150" /></a></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.sukosnotebook.net/2017/05/seasons-of-joy.html"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-size: small;">May</span></span></a></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;">Published in 2017, <u><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1615993177/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1615993177&linkCode=as2&tag=suksnot-20&linkId=20d15c58ba6bd58d7dcb6e434a80e708" target="_blank">Seasons of Joy: Every Day is for Outdoor Play</a></u> is a children's book written and illustrated by nature enthusiast and fiber artist <a href="http://claudiamariefelt.com/">Claudia Marie Lenart</a>.</span> </span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7VOK-lUn00wtmyMGUlLvrp6x5LbvG3P78OFZpya0-LUVhjOuLLOkaZjLVx2kczCbTFOYxaRfB89CKEptg2TTKtrfMuuGKoBCkkyG7w9ans5UbCnadXvp9WKQ1anPJTvPFO2HJt8HvDLI_/s1600/SeasonsofJoycover.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7VOK-lUn00wtmyMGUlLvrp6x5LbvG3P78OFZpya0-LUVhjOuLLOkaZjLVx2kczCbTFOYxaRfB89CKEptg2TTKtrfMuuGKoBCkkyG7w9ans5UbCnadXvp9WKQ1anPJTvPFO2HJt8HvDLI_/s200/SeasonsofJoycover.jpg" width="154" /></a> </span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.sukosnotebook.net/2017/06/united-states-of-japan.html"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #0b5394;">June</span></span></span></a></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;">Published in 2016, <u><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0857665332/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0857665332&linkCode=as2&tag=suksnot-20&linkId=6c38982e7eb12e39aa5b32cd38e3d44a" target="_blank">United States of Japan</a></u> by <a href="https://tieryas.wordpress.com/tag/peter-tieryas-liu/">Peter Tieryas</a> is an alternate history novel in which Japan has won World War II.</span> </span></span> </span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkx0Iyrmyzb7IouiHbglFErtcz2ZDfH7ypCJUX8SAOO2N2ljQBlpud2iNjExV55bzKM1Lr_3F1x-Tl4Tne6z-du5p0zJMX5oHcvjDZu_UXuutpfePGxKL7JsxuEDfXuU4Vw4iBVrNxrfMT/s1600/-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkx0Iyrmyzb7IouiHbglFErtcz2ZDfH7ypCJUX8SAOO2N2ljQBlpud2iNjExV55bzKM1Lr_3F1x-Tl4Tne6z-du5p0zJMX5oHcvjDZu_UXuutpfePGxKL7JsxuEDfXuU4Vw4iBVrNxrfMT/s200/-1.jpg" width="130" /></a><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-size: small;">July </span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;">Although <a href="http://www.kristenbeddard.com/">Kristen Beddard</a>, the author of <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1492630047/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1492630047&linkCode=as2&tag=suksnot-20&linkId=5d4bf46679b8648bd6a7eece4b9e8f1b" target="_blank"><u>Bonjour Kale: A Memoir of Paris, Love, and Recipes</u></a> (published in 2016), grew up eating kale, she never expected that it would become a main focus in her life.</span> </span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqPkGflP0S1gv6_qGvWh6XQMq21pS6_GEeotdDvFz8tt4z_U-UtkKITRA7nhajvfkMhV5D9XOo2FkXJ67s_oqttRFDHucmo1IqezoqDiL1ZXpLtCE8IHmv35MqQZI2XQRfXKXmYDa2aB-a/s1600/BonjourKale.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqPkGflP0S1gv6_qGvWh6XQMq21pS6_GEeotdDvFz8tt4z_U-UtkKITRA7nhajvfkMhV5D9XOo2FkXJ67s_oqttRFDHucmo1IqezoqDiL1ZXpLtCE8IHmv35MqQZI2XQRfXKXmYDa2aB-a/s200/BonjourKale.jpg" width="133" /></a></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">August</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; display: inline; float: none; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">I didn't post.😔<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></span> <br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.sukosnotebook.net/2017/09/">September</a></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">When I was younger, I loved to swim, and although I never became a competitive swimmer, I was a pretty fast swimmer. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiueoQqOrsgCX5j_VZF0jKLIvQru2pHSppZkUFmbmumajR_sSAistbyCgPJXBWj3tRWC06Gsd48yZt6vnJxiKYhlkpC_tME95v0MJnyWXifHappd2nry5a6yx0Swe5v_bKbFvXZWRabXNs7/s1600/Dryland-.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiueoQqOrsgCX5j_VZF0jKLIvQru2pHSppZkUFmbmumajR_sSAistbyCgPJXBWj3tRWC06Gsd48yZt6vnJxiKYhlkpC_tME95v0MJnyWXifHappd2nry5a6yx0Swe5v_bKbFvXZWRabXNs7/s200/Dryland-.jpg" width="133" /></a></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">October </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; display: inline; float: none; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">I didn't post.😔<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.sukosnotebook.net/2017/11/hygge-for-readers-and-for-wondrous.html">November </a></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; display: inline; float: none; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Have you heard of<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span><i style="color: #222222; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">hygge</i><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; display: inline; float: none; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">?</span></span></span> <br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9xLCz4AXPcdnva3wMv1i8iS7nYnDsYBUuNZbHx7gmom_3lcc4RUqhatOMYupajvZWDaA_6KXeS-i1ArRl1ygs4BDaccF9ss1r3Lfb_VK2VkJd8jVmYfwVmvD9kiI3quIMFtlqqaRFjgBo/s1600/The+Little+Book+of+Hygge.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9xLCz4AXPcdnva3wMv1i8iS7nYnDsYBUuNZbHx7gmom_3lcc4RUqhatOMYupajvZWDaA_6KXeS-i1ArRl1ygs4BDaccF9ss1r3Lfb_VK2VkJd8jVmYfwVmvD9kiI3quIMFtlqqaRFjgBo/s200/The+Little+Book+of+Hygge.jpg" width="140" /></a></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span></span> <br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">December</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This is my only post. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">So there you have it, my 2017 First Lines! This special, end-of-the-year meme forms a quick summary and is a good way to wrap up my eclectic, sporadic year in blogging. <span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; display: inline; float: none; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Please feel free to post your own<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span><u style="color: #222222; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">First Lines</u><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; display: inline; float: none; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>from the year, which will create a unique sort of collage of your own blog. </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Thank you very much for reading! Your comments are welcomed. </span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy_rvjpYbjkoJTxCajkp-FnyfHZLty15_s3bXvgpE1WshAtnjOPIOGWOoMDzF6amWbXaAqk-f3gDGW6t7CiYFP5ROCHD8AQortNWKev-OchzCRYbmujmtdNss9HF2vzeHtQbCZsqP2Se6f/s1600/HNY18.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy_rvjpYbjkoJTxCajkp-FnyfHZLty15_s3bXvgpE1WshAtnjOPIOGWOoMDzF6amWbXaAqk-f3gDGW6t7CiYFP5ROCHD8AQortNWKev-OchzCRYbmujmtdNss9HF2vzeHtQbCZsqP2Se6f/s400/HNY18.png" /></a></div>
Sukohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11893742747135555499noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8011304218892238385.post-23578596054898938652017-11-11T15:00:00.000-08:002017-11-11T20:57:17.666-08:00Never Let Me Go<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHzPihZzLtJC_zGxDJ-xctjGX-H9vbOd7h2BA1LUKna0G1RlypuK2u1dC6yNFOyFh3IjyB2VkoV2eNY5avKHiNYXMvr1_Bo5Xtuu8TwHfcMvlrlMnoIsEXzutEmgTjNudVFzdL0xC2MjiA/s1600/NeveLetMeGo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1356" data-original-width="949" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHzPihZzLtJC_zGxDJ-xctjGX-H9vbOd7h2BA1LUKna0G1RlypuK2u1dC6yNFOyFh3IjyB2VkoV2eNY5avKHiNYXMvr1_Bo5Xtuu8TwHfcMvlrlMnoIsEXzutEmgTjNudVFzdL0xC2MjiA/s320/NeveLetMeGo.jpg" width="224" /></a></div>
<br />
A single question led me to read a 2005 novel by Kazuo Ishiguro, who was awarded the 2017 Swedish Academy Nobel Prize in Literature. <br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><b><a href="https://dolcebellezza.net/2017/10/07/how-about-a-read-along-for-kazuo-ishiguro/">How about a read-along for Kazuo Ishiguro?</a></b> </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">The title of Dolce Bellezza's October 7 post was my impetus to read </span></span><u><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1400078776/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1400078776&linkCode=as2&tag=suksnot-20&linkId=d6bec7650b7f0728a90269453cea8384" target="_blank">Never Let Me Go</a></u> by <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kazuo_Ishiguro">Kazuo Ishiguro</a>, a British novelist, screenwriter, and short story writer. Born in Nagasaki, Japan, in 1954, the author's family moved to England in 1960. On his Wikipedia page, Ishiguro says that growing up in a Japanese family in the UK was essential to his writing in that it gave him a different perspective from that of his British peers.<br />
<br />
In order to participate in this read-along, I ordered a print copy of the book, which took a bit longer than usual to arrive, but not too long, luckily. (I also needed to get new reading glasses, as I got super glue on one of the lenses, and so could only read with one eye for a few nights; this is not recommended.) I used a lovely wooden Japanese bookmark that my daughter, Jasmine, gave to me as a gift, pictured, which enhanced my nightly reading.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcfP_EI90x72vcw9fliXXe06AzPK4xxqlyx6jZzycWMH8nfm9I5vYlGzG9avNCQmYtw0ixzCI6BmWhosW4l31tB2bjkueK4-6BrI0ij_Idcmje792WoBxLOC1OQRoyWCmDt0y0DEbjVmUf/s1600/ReadingNeverLetMeGo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcfP_EI90x72vcw9fliXXe06AzPK4xxqlyx6jZzycWMH8nfm9I5vYlGzG9avNCQmYtw0ixzCI6BmWhosW4l31tB2bjkueK4-6BrI0ij_Idcmje792WoBxLOC1OQRoyWCmDt0y0DEbjVmUf/s320/ReadingNeverLetMeGo.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="color: #990000;">Driving around the country now, I still see things that will remind me of Hailsham.</span><br />
<span style="color: #990000;">~ <u>Never Let Me Go</u>, Kazuo Ishiguro </span></blockquote>
<br />
I started reading <u>Never Let Me Go</u> without preconceived notions about it. The book is an "alternative history" set in England in the late 1990s, narrated in the first person by Kathy H., a 31-year-old clone, who has been a "carer" helping "donors" for over eleven years. This story is told through the filter of her memory. Kathy's memories focus on Hailsham, an English boarding school, and her two best childhood friends, Ruth and Tommy, who are also clones. Over the course of the story we learn that clone lifespans are brief,
and so they fit a lot of living into a short period of time. <br />
<br />
<u>Never Let Me Go</u> centers around an "ordinary" sort of love triangle that develops between the three main characters, Kathy ("Kath"), Ruth, and Tommy. At Hailsham, their teachers, called "guardians", tell them they're special, and emphasize the importance of creative work, such as art. During childhood, Tommy has various struggles, and is not very artistic, but eventually he starts to draw elaborate pictures of animals, which he thinks may be helpful later on. Kathy is a "carer" for Tommy near the end of the book, but she has always looked after and cared for Tommy. <br />
<br />
Tender and beautifully written, <u>Never Let Me Go</u> is a reflective novel about the importance of friendship, love, caring, and memory. Kathy's memories are a source of comfort and consolation to her throughout the book. The title of this novel refers to a song that Kathy loved, and it may also refer to her desire to hold onto her memories of Ruth, Tommy, and Hailsham. This novel reminds us to make the most of our time here, whether it's short or long, to live with hope, and to value the little things, such as a gentle touch on the shoulder.<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="color: #990000;">"What he wanted was not just to hear about Hailsham, but to <i>remember</i>
Hailsham, just like it had been his own childhood. He knew he was
close to completing and so that's what he was doing: getting me to
describe things to him, so they'd really sink in, so that maybe during
those sleepless nights with the drugs and the pain and the exhaustion,
the line would blur between what were my memories and what were his.
That was when I first understood, really understood, just how lucky we'd
been--Tommy, Ruth, me, all the rest of us."</span><br />
<span style="color: #990000;">~ <u>Never Let Me Go</u>, Kazuo Ishiguro</span> </blockquote>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibzTn7tlb1FKNiDhcZ7AMR0PJXBdV-2nldC3C6hmKZXpzRb3iLMphM7-_Gp-7iIMAfV9E3VHLBY_hmueGw6hlRPMpwhpShxX5viJCnaa3W7EFHfVKBNFM_hk6bxCvNkUyer5_CXECP__Wz/s1600/jlc111.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibzTn7tlb1FKNiDhcZ7AMR0PJXBdV-2nldC3C6hmKZXpzRb3iLMphM7-_Gp-7iIMAfV9E3VHLBY_hmueGw6hlRPMpwhpShxX5viJCnaa3W7EFHfVKBNFM_hk6bxCvNkUyer5_CXECP__Wz/s400/jlc111.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
Warm thanks to Bellezza from <a href="https://dolcebellezza.net/2017/10/07/how-about-a-read-along-for-kazuo-ishiguro/">Dolce Bellezza</a> for hosting this read-along, as well as the delectable <a href="https://dolcebellezza.net/2017/06/23/japanese-literature-challenge-11-welcome/">Japanese Reading Challenge 11</a>. It is this continued reading challenge that initially enticed me to read novels by Japanese authors over the past few years--and I've enjoyed reading them very much!<br />
<br />
Your comments are welcomed. Have you read this, or other works, by Kazuo Ishiguro? Sukohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11893742747135555499noreply@blogger.com25tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8011304218892238385.post-49065248693182097142017-11-01T19:15:00.000-07:002017-11-02T13:24:36.954-07:00Hygge for Readers (and for Wondrous Words Wednesday)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg46QNiiahV9PuMCiKm4sVz5sB_WorNaFVqOgGymaqcVAwlVp4LedNFbatGClV4fRdbO7402lIaOlS9sX389Y1BlSUYZROaqUYZkS-waVJ3r-FCtFAX3PtfprZyUbVGmWEJeVSDn1x7qLMO/s1600/The+Little+Book+of+Hygge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg46QNiiahV9PuMCiKm4sVz5sB_WorNaFVqOgGymaqcVAwlVp4LedNFbatGClV4fRdbO7402lIaOlS9sX389Y1BlSUYZROaqUYZkS-waVJ3r-FCtFAX3PtfprZyUbVGmWEJeVSDn1x7qLMO/s320/The+Little+Book+of+Hygge.jpg" width="224" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Hygge</b></span></span><br />
<br />
Have you heard of <i>hygge</i>? Pronounced "hoo-ga", this Danish word can be used as a verb or as a noun. This term has become popular in America over the past year or so. Although there's no direct translation of the word in English, here's the description of <i>hygge</i> from Wikipedia:<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"<i>Hygge</i> is a Danish and Norwegian word which can be described as a quality of
cosiness and comfortable conviviality that engenders a feeling of
contentment or well-being (regarded as a defining characteristic of
Danish culture)." </blockquote>
<br />
Wikipedia states that <i>hygge</i> might originate from the word 'hug', and in both Danish and Norwegian, it refers to a form of everyday togetherness.<i> </i>To me, <i>hygge</i> means something that brings a feeling of warmth, that contributes to "the cozy factor". If, like me, you're interested in exploring this concept further, there's a book called <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0062658808/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0062658808&linkCode=as2&tag=suksnot-20&linkId=4a7927fef96dd7fbc01cb3af5733c49b" target="_blank"><u>The Little Book of Hygge: Danish Secrets to Happy Living </u></a>by Meik Wiking, author and CEO of the Happiness Research Institute. It sounds like a book I need to get! <br />
<br />
I think dogs contribute to <i>hygge</i> as well. Dogs are cute, dogs are snuggly, and their charming presence may increase <i>hygge</i> (cats, may, too, though currently we are catless). I've noticed more dogs appearing in ads, especially for home furnishings and decor, over the past year. One of the places I like to read is on this loveseat. It's firm yet comfortable, and there's a lamp on the side table, if I need extra light. My dog, Daisy, has her special corner of the loveseat, unless I join her with a book. Then, she'll usually sit on me.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixo_x3glBUrGnKeNemspq8sd9-Nn0R5eQXzickmBWZVmphgw4v9qjdM4gtWw1Y-T5_nRrKKPUIM8c_1RaATZTVKldjwsetKh21nT94mR4Gs2fq8FiSSgdmrOjbyw9N4d5VmXCGugZdLbZw/s1600/Reading+nook.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixo_x3glBUrGnKeNemspq8sd9-Nn0R5eQXzickmBWZVmphgw4v9qjdM4gtWw1Y-T5_nRrKKPUIM8c_1RaATZTVKldjwsetKh21nT94mR4Gs2fq8FiSSgdmrOjbyw9N4d5VmXCGugZdLbZw/s320/Reading+nook.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>One of my favorite spots to read</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
I enjoy decorating, and I look at furniture online sometimes. Occasionally I even order something for the house, like the loveseat in the photo, which is also a futon. Recently, I was asked the question: How do I envision the perfect reading nook? While I thought about this, the term <i>hygge</i> quickly came to mind. I found some great living room furniture on the Arhaus website that would complement my decor, and <a href="https://www.arhaus.com/furniture/living-room-furniture/">add more hygge to the house</a>. Arhaus has elegant, modern yet "vintage-y" home furnishings that look appealing and well-made.<br />
<br />
This wall sconce would provide light and style to a reading area. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDHqHJQiL-a_5SRG3OMj_LafTmkonxXxIByiia_Vd8LcsaFpT0_0Ly2ubBU0OfhEShCtqlX4uueAgaWsBPwiR4URp6C_Q3g4GtertBBHBzIy0EReE5e4QOzylzGMQciYd03l-MQ7oNf-g2/s1600/sconces.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDHqHJQiL-a_5SRG3OMj_LafTmkonxXxIByiia_Vd8LcsaFpT0_0Ly2ubBU0OfhEShCtqlX4uueAgaWsBPwiR4URp6C_Q3g4GtertBBHBzIy0EReE5e4QOzylzGMQciYd03l-MQ7oNf-g2/s200/sconces.jpeg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Arhaus Wall Sconce</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
To readers, a cozier-than-thou chair is an invitation to read.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFD1Us9QbyGGe9H9nY4Oj0CtkAQ9AUaJQ47_0gxSrs5V6EAj55Duw3J3EXAIfEZGwOgo69eC05WtpqS3D_lYGhQhvPKeDpAcmpuHanJQNzt-Y0K9SmmufEGALB2hePN6dZ8WwlgCTILo3h/s1600/Reading+Chair.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFD1Us9QbyGGe9H9nY4Oj0CtkAQ9AUaJQ47_0gxSrs5V6EAj55Duw3J3EXAIfEZGwOgo69eC05WtpqS3D_lYGhQhvPKeDpAcmpuHanJQNzt-Y0K9SmmufEGALB2hePN6dZ8WwlgCTILo3h/s400/Reading+Chair.jpeg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Arhaus Chair and Throws</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
I like the look and feel of this living room bench, which could "multitask" and come in handy. :)<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlC6aXtQopdxDnCUog9oCLQaEHOjWhRM9OzqOeOMn5oHQe7Iotwi1uJO3lRlir-clvmwivzCkZ5crT-24BFzlQ00xXJ720l1KTzEn46TZ4ufj1EX_JfRM2T0uN9U3xMfsABc95Ml3qRYPB/s1600/Cozy+living+room+bench.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="152" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlC6aXtQopdxDnCUog9oCLQaEHOjWhRM9OzqOeOMn5oHQe7Iotwi1uJO3lRlir-clvmwivzCkZ5crT-24BFzlQ00xXJ720l1KTzEn46TZ4ufj1EX_JfRM2T0uN9U3xMfsABc95Ml3qRYPB/s320/Cozy+living+room+bench.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Arhaus Living Room Bench</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Ideally, there are several places for reading in your home. How do you envision your reading nook, or nooks? Is <i>hygge</i> important to you?<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6;"><span style="background-color: white;">********************************************</span></span></div>
<br />
Hosted each week by Kathy from <a href="http://bermudaonion.net/">BermudaOnion's Weblog</a>, <a href="https://bermudaonion.net/2017/11/01/wondrous-words-wednesday-453/">Wondrous Words Wednesday</a> is a wonderful way to celebrate words. Thanks for reading! Your comments are welcomed. <br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh08874Q-LFwCiJajC2ErMS12__Z7-T2ys372NPrBvn6lflVh2JoMIXAWuuaciAOlSIsOaEaSaM_yUezMyn0NVm4OP1W4CDsuKbJIAqQppStbqFgl8uZelCNHn8qyEiMkZ1A9Q_Jtw2xrf7/s1600/WondrousWordsWednesday.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="173" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh08874Q-LFwCiJajC2ErMS12__Z7-T2ys372NPrBvn6lflVh2JoMIXAWuuaciAOlSIsOaEaSaM_yUezMyn0NVm4OP1W4CDsuKbJIAqQppStbqFgl8uZelCNHn8qyEiMkZ1A9Q_Jtw2xrf7/s1600/WondrousWordsWednesday.png" /></a></div>
Sukohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11893742747135555499noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8011304218892238385.post-14437177328614968542017-09-29T06:00:00.000-07:002018-01-30T20:09:07.050-08:00Dryland: One Woman's Swim to Sobriety<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdl_qBFwt-3XF5RP3P9j2rfxkN7O3Tih3yPuiGohT_KrRiWqdX2Nh5mrmAgA6wHnQKrOtNuN9yL8fOb124_o8_YkCN1NU8yzh8JmIs29RuwOXl7C8Fsrr12-O5OkcSNsjI1IEaqPqmdFbs/s1600/Dryland-.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdl_qBFwt-3XF5RP3P9j2rfxkN7O3Tih3yPuiGohT_KrRiWqdX2Nh5mrmAgA6wHnQKrOtNuN9yL8fOb124_o8_YkCN1NU8yzh8JmIs29RuwOXl7C8Fsrr12-O5OkcSNsjI1IEaqPqmdFbs/s320/Dryland-.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
When I was younger, I loved to swim, and although I never became a competitive swimmer, I was a pretty fast swimmer. Fortunately, when I was in fifth grade we moved to an apartment building in Manhattan that had a pool, and we'd go into the pool a lot during the summers. When I was first learning how to swim, one of my sisters told me not to go into the deep end of the pool, which was 8' deep. I didn't listen to her. I quickly learned the different swimming strokes, and my parents used to call me a fish, because I loved to stay in the water for hours. I was interested in this book because even though I don't swim as much anymore, I remember those days at the pool and still love the water. And although I'm a (very) moderate drinker, I was also interested in learning about a swim to sobriety.<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="color: #3d85c6;">"My identity changed with each new landscape."</span><br />
<span style="color: #3d85c6;">~ Nancy Stearns Bercaw, <u>Dryland</u></span></blockquote>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-HK79DD00jW1xgL6BB7aZyfUYfQiaW2jDahSkU6vGNUGDpabah418ki3R0p6ISHXiyQpj7QxjLrK7aphU5QLkqE0Sga__ujJDKKsj3ImXbwei_Zzgr0mEpT4Zd2IGH-ucPjEpm9CWzHAK/s1600/NancyStearnsBercaw.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-HK79DD00jW1xgL6BB7aZyfUYfQiaW2jDahSkU6vGNUGDpabah418ki3R0p6ISHXiyQpj7QxjLrK7aphU5QLkqE0Sga__ujJDKKsj3ImXbwei_Zzgr0mEpT4Zd2IGH-ucPjEpm9CWzHAK/s1600/NancyStearnsBercaw.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nancy Stearns Bercaw</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Swimming, drinking, and traveling are three main subjects in the 2017 memoir <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1503942953/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1503942953&linkCode=as2&tag=suksnot-20&linkId=5f80b775828803868ccc7adb47bedb7a" target="_blank"><u>Dryland: One Woman's Swim to Sobriety</u></a> by writer <a href="https://dryland.co/">Nancy Stearns Bercaw</a>, a national champion swimmer, and seventeen-time NCAA All-American Athlete. Nancy lived in many different countries--countries of extremes in terms of the weather and in terms of the culture--which suited her strong and adventurous personality. In this memoir, Nancy talks about her devotion to swimming, which led her to the Olympic Trials in 1988, about her family, about her travel to different countries, about her love relationships, about her friendships, and about the role alcohol played in her life. There's also a murder mystery in this book (in this regard, sadly, this is non-fiction).<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="color: #3d85c6;">"I've been going to one end of a pool, or overseas location, and coming back again, for my whole life. Perhaps my existence should be characterized as a series of laps, instead of years." </span><br />
<span style="color: #3d85c6;">~ Nancy Stearns Bercaw, <u>Dryland</u> </span></blockquote>
<br />
First of all, I think that the title of this memoir is perfect. It refers to the desert, which is of course literally the dry land where Nancy lived, it refers to the absence of alcohol, and it also refers to something mentioned in the book, dryland training for swimmers, special exercises performed out of the water that help swimmers become stronger. Chapter headings in <u>Dryland</u> include dates and are named after various bodies of water---a fitting and helpful touch.<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifLl0usYqw_wla8-Jc0Sy8QZ5jqjmjoL3NMu0hF3eQR3YkoKJRksfCIuivorEjOrCoDB5oeh2bcJ6AorLJevuLMBsgA6ZNcf1vpTtNamCB15aZbKZwXhikOBNXQvsU0-KIO8fN3eWvTFxx/s1600/Dryland.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifLl0usYqw_wla8-Jc0Sy8QZ5jqjmjoL3NMu0hF3eQR3YkoKJRksfCIuivorEjOrCoDB5oeh2bcJ6AorLJevuLMBsgA6ZNcf1vpTtNamCB15aZbKZwXhikOBNXQvsU0-KIO8fN3eWvTFxx/s200/Dryland.jpg" width="200" /></a>I listened to an audio book version of <u>Dryland</u>, read by Donna Postel, who does an excellent job playing Nancy. Her voice is clear and refined, and it was a pleasure to listen to this book (I had to remind myself a few times that she was not the author reading her story aloud.) This memoir is set in several countries that the author lived in and traveled to, including Kenya, Abu Dhabi, and South Korea, as well as the United States. Through the author's vivid descriptions, I could picture these locations. The settings in this book are an integral part of this memoir.<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="color: #3d85c6;">"Like an infant, I was learning how to put myself to sleep without a bottle." ~ Nancy Stearns Bercaw, <u>Dryland</u></span> </blockquote>
<br />
Alcohol is featured heavily in this memoir. It was a big part of Nancy's life for a long time, even in countries where alcohol was prohibited (especially for women). She believes that Abu Dhabi saved her life, and says that "a country of non-drinkers exposed the depths of my addiction to alcohol". After almost thirty years of excessive drinking, Nancy acknowledges that alcohol is ruining her health, and decides to change her life. Somewhat surprisingly, she also soon realizes that alcohol<i> </i>actually<i> increases </i>her anxiety at times, an important realization that helps her to stay sober. Through determination, she's able to stop drinking and maintain sobriety while living with her husband and son in arid Abu Dhabi (this shouldn't be considered a spoiler as the title of the memoir already indicates this).
<br />
<br />
<u>Dryland</u> is a courageously candid memoir. The details of her personal story are genuinely interesting, intelligent, inspiring, and beautifully expressed. It's absolutely wonderful that she's able to give up her addiction to alcohol! My favorite CD is the sixth
one, the last one (which I'm currently listening to again) because it's positive and triumphant. It's also quite funny and amusing in parts--especially regarding Iceland. I learned a few things about octopuses. ;) I enjoyed listening to the entire audio book of <u>Dryland</u>, in my car during my short commutes around town. (This is how I listen to audio books. I know others listen while they garden or walk or knit or cook or do chores around the house, but for me, I only listen to audio books when I drive solo. It's my special private time with a book, and I enjoy being read to.)<br />
<br />
<u>Dryland</u> is a magnificent, memorable memoir that's truly worth reading or listening to. Recently I saw the touching movie, <i>The Glass Castle</i>, which is based on Jeannette Walls' remarkable memoir. I think that <u>Dryland </u>would also make an incredible movie that would highlight Nancy's swimming, drinking, and travel to many distinct and beautiful countries. It would be outstanding.<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-hr6l0PnE6TAkSsOL62-EtoFSLuq45z2Y7NkxVKaKJvHJpHI6ReKn0P4JYUPc58YAlNNtrc04jz1uMxv6TPr0HYBfJhPsoW8KShBVQ-3T284vIz54x2XPU78Iwbolte6MLwza9QAUDiHi/s1600-h/tlcBookTours.png"><img alt="" border="0" class="amzn_view_checked" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5435934803076004098" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-hr6l0PnE6TAkSsOL62-EtoFSLuq45z2Y7NkxVKaKJvHJpHI6ReKn0P4JYUPc58YAlNNtrc04jz1uMxv6TPr0HYBfJhPsoW8KShBVQ-3T284vIz54x2XPU78Iwbolte6MLwza9QAUDiHi/s200/tlcBookTours.png" style="float: left; height: 150px; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; width: 150px;" /></a>Special thanks to Trish from <a href="http://tlcbooktours.com/">TLC</a> for inviting me on this tour and for accommodating my request for an "old-school" audio book version of this memoir on CDs. For more reviews and features, please visit the other stops on <a href="http://tlcbooktours.com/2017/05/nancy-bercaw-author-of-dryland-on-tour-julyaugust-2017/">TLC's book tour for <u><u><u><u>Dryland</u></u></u></u></a>.<br />
<br />
Thank you for reading! Your comments are welcomed. Sukohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11893742747135555499noreply@blogger.com22